Take My Hand
by BelievelandGirl
Summary: What if Deb hadn't told Dan she was pregnant and he'd instead gone back to Karen without ever knowing about his son? 17 years later, the secret is revealed and sends Nathan on a crash course with the residents of Tree Hill. Will their lives ever be the same?
1. Chapter 1

Hey, I haven't given up on writing a sequel to Hold Onto Me, but I'm a little burnt out from that world, so I finally let myself explore a totally different Naley idea I've had in my head for the last few months. Melissa has been encouraging me to post it, so I decided to go ahead and let this be a late treat for Halloween.

 **Prologue/ch 1**

Oct 2006

Haley James laid on her bed, books surrounding her petite frame. Her stereo was playing her most recent cd find from her shopping expedition with her friend Peyton and she was humming along as she took notes. Her friends had tried to convince her to go out to the local club with them for an all ages night, but she had balked and told them that despite it being a Friday night, she needed to study. They had argued briefly but given in quickly, knowing how important her grades were to her. There was a reason her best friend Brooke called her "Tutor Girl" after all.

She stood up and stretched, her back arching and drawing her t-shirt up to show her toned midriff. She'd finally finished her history and decided she wanted a break before starting on her English so she walked down the stairs and grabbed a brownie, her sisters made the best ones, and a bottle of water. Returning to her room she tripped and accidentally knocked a picture frame off the desk. Picking it up she found herself tracing the features of the two people hugging and laughing, unaware of the picture being taken by one of their friends. She sighed, realizing that he was another reason why she hadn't wanted to go to the club that night. There were a lot of memories in that place. He had brought out a wild, carefree side to her that she'd not even known she possessed until he came into their lives. She missed him and his absence had left her more of an introvert than she'd been in the past.

Her best friends didn't understand why she had been withdrawn since he left. Sure, at her insistence, they'd come to accept him as part of their group, but they'd never really bonded with him the way she had. In the few months that he'd been here, he had come to mean as much to her as the people she'd known her whole life and that both scared and thrilled her at the same time. She'd thought that even though her friends hadn't been as close to him as she was, they would understand her pain. Instead, it seemed Brooke was the only one to even notice it.

"I know you miss him, but you can't just shut yourself away for the rest of your life. I understand you can't shut off your feelings, but it's not like you guys were even dating and now he's gone back to his life. You have to move on and get back to yours," she'd told her friend. "You can't just keep moping all the time. We miss you."

"I'm trying Brooke," she'd argued. "It's just you guys act like he was never even here and I... it just isn't the same without him."

They'd promised to stay in touch after he left, but his private school's draconian laws on dating and phone usage had made that difficult so far. In fact, they'd only spoken a few times in the 6 weeks he'd been gone, relying mostly on text messages. The last time had only been a few days ago and he'd seemed upset and distracted. She'd emailed him after hoping to get some answers, but so far he hadn't responded.

She was brought of her thoughts by the ringing of the doorbell but waited, figuring someone else would answer it. It was probably Quinn's boyfriend or one of Taylor's booty calls anyway. Her sisters were both home from college for the weekend and had people coming in and out at all hours of the night and day. She set the photo back on her desk and sat cross-legged on the bed, reaching for the stuffed bear that she always used to comfort her. Mr. Waffles had been a gift from her friend and when she held it close, she swore that even after months it still smelled like him.

The doorbell sounded again and she stood, walking down the stairs, huffing in frustration. "Why am I always the one that has to answer the door?" she muttered to herself. "It's not like I was studying or anything. It won't even be for me since my friends are all at the club."

She went through the living room and threw open the door, expecting to see a date for one of her sisters but instead saw a tall, dark haired boy, the blue of his eyes standing out from his tanned face and making her heart flip over in her chest. She had to hold in a sigh. Ever since the first time she'd seen him he took her breath away. He was easily the best looking guy she'd ever seen up close.

"Nathan?" she said, half in statement half in question. It was as though her previous thoughts had conjured him into reality. "I thought you were in Virginia."

"I was," he told her, shifting from one foot to the other anxiously. "Can we talk?"

"Um, sure," she said, stepping back from the door, "I guess...we um... let's go up to my room..."

"No, can we take a walk or something? I don't really want to talk about this with anyone else around," he told her, looking behind her. "I probably should have called first, it's just...can you come with me Hales? Please?"

She nodded, a little scared at the way he was acting. Nathan Scott was always the epitome of confidence and coolness. Even when things had been bad for him when he first came to town he had never appeared shaken. In fact, the only time she had seen him look awkward or nervous was the when he talked about his mother's illness.

"Is your mom okay?"

"She's still at home, but...can we go? I promise I'll explain soon," he reassured her, realizing he'd worried her with his crypticness. He didn't mean to be so abrupt, but he was tired and stressed. His life was being turned upside down and adding in a 5 hour drive had tested what was left of his sanity.

"Let me grab a sweatshirt and leave my parents a note," she told him, gesturing for him to step inside for a minute. He looked around the small living room, noting a couple of new pictures on the mantle but no other changes since he'd been there. Despite the fact that her parents never seemed to be around, the home always felt lived in and inviting. She'd lived there her whole life and he wondered what it must be like to have always had that kind of stability.

She went to the kitchen and placed the note on the fridge and then returned, lacing her arm through his and leading him out the door. "Not that I'm not excited to see you, but what are you doing here? Lucas didn't say anything about you coming."

"He didn't know. Actually, no one did except Quentin," he told her as they turned onto the sidewalk in front of her house. "I didn't want to talk to any of the others, I just needed to see you."

Haley's head snapped up in surprise at his admission. Sure, they'd gotten really close over the summer while he'd been in Tree Hill but she'd always thought her feelings for him were one-sided. Her heart started to pound and she wondered if he could hear it from his close proximity to her. She tried to play it cool, but stumbled through her question anyway, "Um, why? I mean, what did you need to see me for? Is there something you need?"

His lips curled up into a half smile at her rambling, knowing she was confused and anxious about his sudden appearance. She'd rambled on and on the first time they'd met and he'd thought it was both amusing and adorable. Since then, she'd gotten more comfortable around him and the rambling had dramatically decreased. Apparently their time apart had reset that comfort level somewhat and that thought left him surprisingly disappointed.

He stayed quiet for a few minutes, trying to figure out the best way to explain why he'd come. It had all made so much sense when he thought about it on the long drive here, but now it all seemed muddled. He wondered if maybe he shouldn't go through with what he had planned but then shook his head. He was doing what he had to do and if that meant taking a risk then that's he'd live with the results. He couldn't let his fears stop him. They reached a bench and he gestured for her to sit down before starting to explain. "When I got back home, I was so excited to have my mom out of the hospital. It had been so long since I'd been able to walk through the doors and see her there, you know? Actually up and not in bed or a wheel chair."

Haley nodded, knowing how much it had meant to him to have her back in her normal place in his life. She'd been hospitalized with leukemia and had been in and out of the hospital for almost a year before finally being free to go home for what they'd thought would be the last time.

"It was pretty good for a couple weeks, but then the bills started coming in and she was struggling to pay them. I didn't know how bad it was until last night when I overheard her talking to my Uncle Cooper. Not only is she about to lose her business, the one she has poured her blood, sweat, and tears into for the last 6 years, but the Luekemia might be back. She needs a bone marrow transplant, but they haven't been able to find a donor. Now, she can't afford it even if they find one," His voice broke as he tried to finish his explanation. "I actually heard her say maybe it was just her time Hales. She's giving up and I can't let her do that. I still need her..."

"Oh God Nathan," Haley said, tears filling her eyes as she stood and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm so sorry this is happening but I'm glad you came to me. I wish there was something I could do for you."

He stood there and absorbed the comfort she so readily gave, her hands rubbing up and down his back and her head resting against his chest. Despite the fact that they were pressed against each other already, he felt the urge to pull her even closer, as if he could somehow absorb her strength into his own body. That strength was only one of the reasons he had come to her in his time of need. He somehow felt like she could conquer the whole world if she decided to. Realizing the absurdity of the thought he pulled away slightly.

"Actually," he said, looking down into her liquid brown eyes and summoning his courage. He knew it was now or never. "There is something you can do."

"What is it Nathan?" she asked, her hand cupping the side of his face and wiping a stray tear away from his cheek. "You know I would do anything for you."

He paused, knowing she meant it. She was the most amazing, selfless person he'd ever met and he wondered what kind of person he was to even consider taking advantage of that. Shaking off his musings, he realized he didn't have much choice if he was going to be able to help his mom, "You could marry me."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews and follows. I'm glad people are interested in this new story. We're going to take a trip back in time to see how we got to the proposal and start answering some of your questions. I hope you enjoy.

May 2006

Nathan Scott dribbled past his friend and sailed through the air, dunking the ball through the net and then swinging on the rim before coming down. "You could at least try to defend me Q," he joked, wiping the sweat from his face with the hem of his shirt. "That was pathetic."

"Oh, Nate's getting cocky now boys," Quentin Fields laughed, grabbing the ball and taking it to the top of the key. The dark skinned guard was just a little taller than Nathan's own 6 ft 2 and the two had known each other since they were children and eventually joined the team together. They were best friends and roommates, closer than most brothers.

"Let's see who's pathetic now," Q said, taking a few dribbles in one direction only to spin the other way and shoot a perfect fadeaway jump shot over Nathan's outstretched arms. "So much for defense. That's game baby."

The 4 boys playing all laughed and walked to the sidelines to get a drink. "I talked to coach yesterday. You ready to be Captains? It's all on us next year," Quentin said, taking a swig of his Gatorade. With two weeks left in their Junior year the boys were looking forward to being Seniors and the big men on campus, although as basketball players they were already immensely popular.

"You bet," Nathan responded, picking the ball back up and dribbling it between his legs, "we've been working toward this since we got here."

"Did you see the incoming freshman? One of them was here for orientation yesterday. Kid has to be at least 6ft 6 already at 14," Mike told them. "Coach thinks he might take Kev's place..."

"Excuse me boys," a voice spoke, interrupting their conversation and causing all four boys to turn. "Mr. Scott, there's someone in the office that needs to talk to you."

"I'll be right there," Nathan shrugged, putting a cap on his water and grabbing his bag.

"Ooooh," Mike teased, "Nate's in trouble now. Did you get caught in the closet with Alicia? I heard she had her shirt off."

Nathan shook his head, "As if I would take a chance on getting in trouble for a girl like that. She probably started the rumor herself. She flirts with me every chance she gets. She doesn't seem to get that I'm not the slightest bit interested."

"You want us to set it straight?"

"Nah, it's not worth it," Nathan told them. "It seems like there's always some rumor about me. People will believe what they want to believe." There was always so much gossip that he didn't even bother listening anymore. Most of it was wrong anyway. He guessed that was just part of being one of the highest ranked high school athletes in the state. "I got to go see what this is about, but I should be back soon. If I'm not I'll see you back at the dorm after classes."

He walked across the court and followed the assistant across campus to the main administrative center where visitors checked in. It was a beautiful brick building with lots of windows and gleaming wood floors meant to impress. Opening the glass door he was surprised to find a family friend there, "I didn't think I was going home until next weekend," he told the man, shaking his hand, "unless Mom is coming home already. Is that it?" he asked, getting excited at the possibility.

"Nathan," Patrick said, gesturing for the young man to sit down and taking the seat next to him. "She's taken a turn for the worse and she'd like to see you. She has some things you need to hear."

* * *

Nathan studied the man in front of him. For several years the man had been in his life as a friend of his mother's. Nathan wasn't stupid, he'd realized a long time ago that the guy was in love with her, but she would never allow more than friendship and he'd long ago accepted that to have a spot in her life. Nathan had assured her that he would be okay with it if she wanted to move on, his father had been out of her life for 17 years after all, but she'd explained that she'd loved his father with her whole heart and when she lost him it broke something inside her. She wasn't willing to go through that kind of pain again. She had him and he was her world, she didn't need anything else to be happy.

Patrick leaned against the wall, his eyes were still red-rimmed from the tears Nathan had seen him try to hide. "I don't know if you realize this, but I asked her to marry me. More than once actually."

Nathan nodded, finally looking into the older man's watery green eyes. "She's never kept things from me. She's always said that if we were going to make it the two of us had to stick together." He cleared this throat as he started to choke up. He didn't want to be there talking about this, as though she were already gone.

Patrick Olsen sighed, moving around to sit in one of the chairs. Nathan had always been a fairly outgoing kid, but since his mother was diagnosed with leukemia he'd become more withdrawn. The only times he ever saw the kid seem like himself anymore was when he was with his mother, his best friend, or playing basketball. It was that sport that made the kid come alive in ways rarely seen off the court.

Nathan had gone through a lot in his first 17 years and this was just another blow the kid would have to fight through. If it had been up to him, he would help out the teen, but Deb had been very clear in her wishes and he had promised to respect them. It didn't mean he liked that they were about to blow apart the kid's world.

 _"He's strong," she told him, "and I really think this is the best thing for him. He deserves to know his father. Dan's a good man, he always was. I don't blame him for what happened, he just wasn't mine to keep. I know I was selfish and haven't been willing to share my son with him this far, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't know each other. It's the best thing for both of them. Nathan shouldn't be alone so much, shouldn't have so many responsibilities. He deserves to be part of a family and his father can give him that."_

 _"I don't think Nate will agree with you. He's well adjusted, popular, and he gets good grades. He's got friends and a good life with a great future ahead of him at Kentucky. He's so close to his dream and this is going to put that in jeopardy. How can you think it's a good idea after how much you've both sacrificed for him to get this far?"_

 _"He's had to grow up too fast," Deb told him, staring at the world outside her third floor window. She'd been fighting a rare, advanced form of leukemia and so far, she was losing. She was going to continue to fight with everything she had left in her, but she had to prepare for the fact that she might not be there to see her son graduate._

 _"He has his whole life planned out, but he holds himself back from people. He's scared to let people in. I blame myself for that, but I want more than that for him. I don't want him to just be content, I want him to be truly happy. I want him to fall madly in love, even if it only lasts a short time. I want him to have real relationships and experience life. Whether I make it or not, at least I can try to give him a chance at that, to see the possibilities. I've kept tabs on Dan and his family over the years and I think they can show him how."_

"I'll just let her explain to you," Patrick said, opening the door to her hospital room. "I'll wait out here."

* * *

"Would you please stop dribbling that thing?" Haley James asked as she walked down the sidewalk toward Karen's Cafe where she worked after school. "Brooke already gave me a headache with her begging."

Lucas Scott raised an eyebrow in confusion so Haley continued, "She wants me to go to cheerleading camp this summer and join the team I think she just wants me there as a buffer so she doesn't kill Rachel. I don't know what she has against the girl. Sure, Rachel is a bit of a slut, but Brooke hasn't exactly been Miss Celibate herself."

"I don't know," Lucas said, opening the door for his best friend, "but the hatred is mutual. You should have heard some of the things Rachel was saying at lunch yesterday. I was on the way to meet with Coach and even my ears turned red."

"Speaking of," Haley said, walking with him behind the counter, "Why are you practicing so much? The season is over"

"It's time to start getting ready for next year," he told her. "If I'm going to reach my goals, there can't be any off season for me."

"Well, what do you think the team will be like? Any good prospects in the younger grades?"

"Not really," Lucas said, spinning the ball in his hands. "The JV sucked and the upcoming freshman are terrible. It's going to be up to me and Skills. Of course, you know I'm going to break my dad's scoring record and win league MVP. It's practically written in stone."

"Don't get too cocky there," Haley laughed, wrapping an apron around her waist and twisting her long blonde hair into a clip. "It's a long season. Who knows what will happen?"

"I already told you what's going to happen," Lucas promised her, setting his ball behind the counter. "I'm going to get that scholarship to UNC and now that I'm out of Dame's shadow, there's nothing and no one who is going to get in my way."

"Well right now, the only thing bigger than your ego is the line at the register, so hop to it Mr. MVP. Duty calls"

* * *

Nathan sat in silence, staring at the generic pictures on the hospital walls. How could this be happening? There had to be something he could do to stop the train wreck his life was becoming. He ran his hands through his hair and stood, walking over to the door, intending to leave. He had to get some fresh air and think about what he'd just heard. She'd lied to him his entire life and now that was finally in a good place she was trying to fix her mistake by ruining everything he had planned. He didn't want to move and start all over now. He'd played since for as long as he could remember to earn the chance to play at Oak Hill, one of the most prestigious schools in the nation, and now it was slipping out of his grasp. He already felt like he was losing his mother, he _couldn't_ lose his dreams too.

He reached for the handle, but the door opened from the other side as Patrick returned. He started to brush past the man who more than anyone else understood the pain he was dealing with, but turned when the man placed his hand on his shoulder. "I know this hurts Nate, but she really thinks it is for the best. She loves you so much."

"Then why is she doing this to me?" Nathan asked, his eyes welling with tears he swiped angrily to the side. "I've worked so hard to get to where I am. I'm supposed to be Captain next year and we've got a good chance at being state champs again. Now she wants me to go live in some podunk town with a father I've never met? That I've grown up thinking was dead? Well I'm not doing it. I've already been declared an adult and I live at the school most of the year anyway."

Patrick swiped his hands down his face, "She thinks it's important that you get to know the rest of your family, even if you don't want to. If she doesn't make it, she doesn't want you left alone."

"I wouldn't be alone," Nathan pointed out. "I'd still have you and the Fields, or are you going to just going to throw me away too?"

"We wouldn't do that," Patrick said, his heart breaking. He cared about the boy in front of him, but he also loved his mother enough to promise her he'd go along with her wishes. "I love you, but as much as I wish it, we aren't blood. She wants you to know the people that share that with you and honestly, I think she doesn't want you to be here watching her suffer."

"So what did she do, get the school to pull my scholarship?" Nathan asked. "They wouldn't do that, they want to win as badly as I do. They need me."

Patrick sighed, "she didn't have to. Your scholarship only pays 80% of your tuition. Your mother has been paying the rest and that won't be possible now. Actually, considering she wouldn't accept help from me, you probably would have to leave school even she wasn't doing this. She doesn't have the money to pay the next installment..."

"I have some savings and if that's not enough I can get another job and pay it myself," Nathan argued, clenching his fists in frustration. He wanted to hit something so badly at that moment but restrained himself. Losing his temper wasn't going to show that he should be given say in his own life. "I'll do whatever it takes to stay."

"You know you aren't allowed to work off campus and you wouldn't have time to work and play anyway. No basketball, no scholarship, no scholarship, no Kentucky," Patrick explained patiently. "I would love to pay it for you, but I feel like I have to respect her wishes on this Nate. She feels really strongly that this is the right thing for all of you. If you really love her, you'll ease her conscience by going along with it."

* * *

Dan Scott sat on the floor outside his bedroom, pounding on the door again, "Please open the door Karen. I swear, I never touched her when we were together. I was only with her during that couple of months when we split after graduation."

He'd been sitting there pleading with her on and off for over two hours before she finally came out the door, her nose and eyes red from crying. "I don't know what's worse," she told him, sitting down on the floor across the hallway from him, "the fact that you jumped into a relationship with her so quickly after we broke up, despite knowing I was pregnant, or that you just dumped her with no warning in the middle of that relationship. You treated her poorly and because of it that boy has had to live his whole life without a father."

"How is it my fault she never told me?" he argued, leaning his head back against the wall. "If I'd known I would have..." he paused, not sure what to say. The truth was, he didn't know how he would have reacted if he'd known. He hoped he would have been a good guy and at least helped her out, but he wasn't naive enough to think he would have handled it well. His 19 year old self had still been too self-centered to put someone else's needs first. He thought about the way he'd treated Karen. They'd been in love and dating for 2 years when the news came and it had still made him run away. Besides, it wasn't until after Lucas was born that he and Keith had gotten the dealership started and had any kind of income. He had no idea how he would have even kept his head above water.

"What?" she asked, genuinely interested in what he would say. "You would have taken him from her and raised him alongside Lucas? You would have sent what money you could, but had nothing to do with him? Or would you have insisted she move here so you could have two families? She was alone and scared. She did what she felt like she had to do at the time. She didn't have to share him with you, you would have most likely never known he existed, but she's scared again and trying to make it right. For all of you."

Dan sighed, "What am I supposed to do with him now though? I don't even know anything about this kid."

"Well, I saw the picture. I don't think there's any doubting he's yours," she said, moving over to lean on his shoulder. "Whatever we decide, this is going to completely change our lives."

"I'm so sorry this is happening. You shouldn't have to take in a teenager that isn't yours, but now that I know about him I just can't pretend he doesn't exist," Dan told her, grabbing her hand and stroking it with his thumb. "I need to get to know him."

"I know. I would be disappointed in you if you felt any other way. I'm not worried about me though," she said, closing her eyes as a wave of fatigue came over her. "I'm worried about Luke. You two have always been so close and this is going to crush him."

Dan nodded, his heart heavy as he thought about what to say to son; his _oldest_ son. He was a good kid, but he was a bit spoiled and a lot stubborn, much like his father. He was not going to take the news that he had a brother well.

* * *

"Can you believe they expect me to just accept this and welcome this guy with open arms? The arrogant prick is the same age and even has my last name. I'm going to have to explain to everyone that my dad's an ass who had an affair while my mom was pregnant with me," Lucas ranted to his best friends.

"How do you know he's arrogant or a prick?" Haley asked quietly. "He might be cool."

Lucas sent his friend a death glare. "I looked up the school he went to. Tuition is over 20 grand a year. There's no way someone with that kind of money isn't going to be a dick. I don't know why I should have to share any of my stuff with him if he has that kind of money. I shouldn't be surprised though, my dad said his grandparents have money."

"You don't know any of the details. He might just be a regular guy. I actually kind of feel sorry for him..."

"I can't believe this is happening," Lucas said, running his fingers through his hair. "You haven't even met him and you're taking his side."

"I think Haley's just trying to say you should keep an open mind. It's got to be hard to lose your mom and move to new place and live with family you've never met," Peyton tried to reason, standing to place her hand on his back. "Maybe you'll have things in common."

"Didn't you say he went to Oak Hill?" Skills asked. "That's a big basketball school. A ton of NBA players went there. Maybe he plays. We could really use some more help on the team next year."

"First off, it's my team and even if he does play, I don't want him on it. Second, there's no way he's good enough to have played there. Most of those guys play D1 ball in college," Lucas pointed out. He kicked the bucket sitting off to the side, sending a dozen golf balls scattering across the roof. "I can't believe you guys don't see how horrible this is. He's not even here and he's already ruining my life. Everyone has been staring at me all day, my mom has been crying all the time, and they already made me move my extra clothes out of the guest room so she can get it ready for him."

"I think you're just mad at your dad," Peyton told him. "I know all of this is hurting you, but people make mistakes. Try not to take it out on your br..."

"Don't," Lucas said, cutting her off angrily. "Don't call him that. He's not and never will be my brother."

* * *

Dan walked into the gym where he'd been told he'd find his son. Looking around he quickly spotted the lone figure shooting around at the other end of the floor. He was tall and moved like a premier athlete, power and grace colliding in a fluid dance that ended with the ball swishing through the net.

"That was impressive," he said, stepping on the court and clapping in appreciation. "I guess that's more proof you're my kid."

"Are you kidding?" Nathan scoffed, retrieving the ball and turning to look at the intruder. "Did you really think my mom would lie about something like that? If you did, you never knew her at all."

"That's not what I meant. It was just a lame attempt at breaking the ice. I'm your..." Dan tried again, pausing at the scowl on the boy's face. "I'm Dan Scott."

"I assumed," Nathan responded, turning back to the hoop and shooting another long jump shot. "They said you were coming today."

"Look Nate," Dan started, "I.."

"It's Nathan," the boy corrected. "You don't get to call me Nate."

Dan sighed and straightened his shoulders. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. The boy most likely had a lot of resentment built up over the years of being fatherless and now combined with being dragged away from what he knew, it had to be scary. "I know this must be hard. It's not easy for me either. I understand how you must feel.."

"Let's get this straight right now. You don't know anything about me or how I feel," Nathan said, his voice hard, "and don't pretend you care about me. If you did, you'd let me stay here."

Dan looked at the angry teen in front of him, dressed in his red Warriors hoodie with his name and number across the back and a pair of gym shorts. The sight was an almost mirror image of himself at that age. He'd been angry too, and although the situations had been completely different, a lot of the anger had been directed at his own father. "Believe it or not, I do care. I never knew about you, but I'd like to change that if you'll let me. I'd like to try and be a father to you..."

Nathan looked at him steadily but didn't speak so he continued. "This doesn't have to be permanent you know. Your mom just wants us to get to know each other. I do too. If you'll give it a shot until the end of summer, I'll pay for you to come back in the fall, if that's what you want. Maybe your mother will even be out of the hospital by then."

"You swear I can come back?" Nathan asked, finally showing some emotion as he turned the ball over in his hands.

Dan nodded in relief, "If you come for the summer, I'll leave it up to you where you want to go in the fall."

* * *

"So you're really going go there for the whole summer?" Quentin asked as he watched his friend pack. "It's going to suck losing you man. Who am I going to work out with back home?"

"You'll find someone. Don't you dare go soft on me," Nathan told him, throwing the last of his things in his bag and looking around to make sure he didn't forget anything. "I'll be back and kicking your butt again in August."

"Maybe you'll actually like it there," Q said, handing Nathan the pictures he'd always kept on the nightstand. One was Nathan with his mother and the other was of Nathan and Quentin taken after one of their games the previous year. "You might enjoy having a real family."

"I already have a family here," Nathan told him, putting his hands on his hips. "These people aren't family, they're just strangers I have to put up with so they'll pay for me to come back here."

"So you aren't even going to give them a chance?" Quentin asked in surprise. "Are you sure about that Nate? Think about what you could be missing. I'd give anything to have my dad back, to be a normal family again."

"He's not my dad, he's a sperm donor. I don't care what excuses she makes for him, he abandoned her...he abandoned both of us. I don't want to play be anywhere near him, but I'll suck it up and do it because that's what my mom needs from me. That doesn't mean I want to bond with them or pretend there's more to his than there is. I'll do my time there and then get back here as soon as I can. My life is planned out and there isn't anything or anyone in Tree Hill that has a place in it."


	3. Chapter 3

Nathan looked at the house where they'd just parked the car dispassionately. He'd seen bigger houses a couple times when he'd gone to visit friends from school, but it was still one of the nicest homes he'd ever seen. He couldn't help but compare it to the tiny apartments he and his mother shared until just a few years earlier. The entirety of those places could probably fit in the bathroom of a house like this.

"This is home," Dan said, walking to the back and pulling out Nathan's bags. "My wife Karen and your...um...Lucas should be inside. They're probably holding dinner for us since we're a little later than expected."

Nathan just nodded his head and grabbed his last bag before following the older man inside. Dan had filled him in on some of their family history on the drive but after a while he'd stopped paying attention and stared out the window. It wasn't like he was planning on staying long enough to get to really know the people, so why bother learning about them?

He heard voices coming from another room and gripped the handle of his bag harder. He didn't normally have any trouble getting along with new people so he wondered where the anxious feelings were coming from now. It wasn't like he cared if they liked him, it was just a temporary stopover before heading back to school anyway.

"Nathan," a petite woman with dark hair said, smiling broadly as he fully entered the kitchen. She came over and wrapped her little arms around his much larger ones in a surprisingly warm, soft hug. "I'm so glad to meet you."

"Um, you too Mrs. Scott," Nathan mumbled, completely caught off guard by her gracious welcome. He had expected this woman to be a socialite, not this small, simply dressed woman with an infectious smile. He also hadn't really expected her to be happy to meet him. He fumbled for something else to say, "He...um...you have a beautiful home."

"Thank you," she smiled, looking at her husband for a moment before returning her gaze to the raven haired boy. "Here," she said, reaching to take his bag from him, "let me help you with that..."

"NO," Nathan said quickly pulling his bag back and then immediately regretted the snapping tone when he saw her face fall. "I'm sorry...I just... I want to hang on to it. It's personal stuff."

"Hello Nathan," another dark haired man said from the other side of the kitchen, "I'm your Uncle Keith. Danny's brother." He reached out and shook his nephew's hand. "It's great to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you."

Nathan pulled his hand back awkwardly, "yeah, umm, you too." The four of them stood quietly, their eyes moving from one to another. Karen motioned to her husband to do something and turned back to the stove.

"How about I show you to your room and give you a few minutes to get yourself cleaned up before dinner?" Dan asked, stepping in to breach the silence that felt like it was sucking the air out of the room. "We'll put your things in there and you can arrange them later."

Karen turned back around and watched as they left the room and headed up the stairs. Checking her watch, she noticed it was already 20 minutes past the time they'd set for dinner. Lucas wasn't back yet and she wondered if he would even show up. He wasn't accepting his new status well and had been clearly upset when he'd left earlier. She couldn't blame him for his feelings, but she'd hoped he would at least be willing to try something as simple as dinner.

"You weren't kidding about him looking like Dan," Keith whistled, taking a seat at the built in bar and drawing her attention. "He's a little leaner, but everything else is the same as I remember. It's like traveling back in time. I can't imagine Luke's going to be happy about that either."

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair with just Nathan and the three adults in attendance. Karen's premonition proved to be true and Lucas did in fact skip the meal despite his parents orders to attend. She wasn't sure what to do to help ease her son's transition into his new reality, but at the moment, she was going to worry about the boy that was in front of her. She didn't know all the details, but what she did know told her he most likely needed her as well. She had a feeling she'd be walking a fine line over the next few weeks in trying to help both of the teens.

"I see you liked the prime rib," she smiled, watching as Nathan finished his dinner. "I wasn't sure if you did but it's your... um...it's a favorite around here."

"I've never had it before," Nathan admitted, feeling a little like he was in a fishbowl with all the adults watching his every move, "but it was delicious. Thank you."

"Why don't you go upstairs and set up your room?" Dan told him, rising from the table and pouring himself a glass of scotch from the sideboard. "You can get all settled in."

"Actually, I was thinking I'd like to go for a walk," Nathan suggested. "I'd like to get some fresh air and see the town a little after being in the car for so long today."

"I don't know. You don't know your way around and you might..." Karen started, before noticing that her husband was shaking his head at her. Nathan looked almost panicked at the restriction and Dan didn't want to start an argument over something that wasn't a big deal. The boy had been living basically on his own for the last couple of years and was capable of taking care of himself.

"He's got a phone and the town isn't that big. I'm sure he'll be fine," Dan stepped in. Turning to his son he added, "Just be home by midnight."

* * *

Haley and Brooke walked along the boardwalk, shopping bags in hand. "Can you believe that guy?" Haley laughed, turning toward her friend, "I've never been hit on by a guy wearing pink leather pants before."

"They even had rhinestones on the back," Brooke shuddered in distaste. "Those pants weren't even in fashion...probably ever."

"I thought the funniest part was that they were so tight he could barely walk," Haley added, mimicking the guys' movements as she made her way down the boardwalk.

The girls sat at a nearby table and continued to joke about their encounter until Brooke declared she wanted to get a latte. "Isn't it kind of late for coffee?" Haley asked, looking at her watch.

"I still have a date with Julian tonight after he gets off work," Brooke reminded her with a wink, "I'll need the energy."

"Ugh," Haley groaned, "How many times have I asked you to not talk about your sex life in front of me?"

"I wasn't giving details," Brooke protested, flipping her long, dark hair back over her shoulder, "besides, there's no reason to be crabby with me. It's not my fault Alex and Theresa hooked up."

"It doesn't bother me, it's not like we're together anymore. He's free to be with whomever he wants," Haley shrugged, feigning indifference. "We obviously had different ideas about what's important in a relationship and now we've both moved on."

"Well one of you has," Brooke said, raising one eyebrow, "I haven't seen you on any dates recently."

Haley glared at her friend, "I haven't met anyone worth dating."

"I'm sorry, " Brooke told her, pulling her friend in for a hug. "I shouldn't have brought it up. I know you really liked him."

"It's not your fault. It was never going to work. We were just too different."

"Sometimes different is good, it keeps things interesting," Brooke argued. "Julian and I are like total opposites, but that makes it more exciting."

"And sometimes, it makes it impossible to agree on anything," Haley took the opposite point of view. "Besides, there was no spark. I mean, even when we kissed it just felt like something was missing. Don't you think if he were the one for me I would at least feel something?"

"I would sure hope so," Brooke admitted, checking her phone and taking money out of her wallet

"Maybe I'm just not capable of feeling desire. Maybe Alex is right and I'm a prude," Haley lamented. "I'm probably doomed to be a cat lady."

"Don't you dare say that," Brooke told her angrily. "You're not even 17. It'll happen, you just haven't met the right guy. When you do, you'll know it."

Haley nodded, deciding she needed to get over her pity party. Her friend was right. Even if it bothered her that most of her friends were coupled off, she was still young and had plenty of time. It wasn't like her to be worried about things like that, she never had been before, but she had to admit it was sometimes awkward being the odd person out when they did anything as a group.

She shook off her melancholy. It would be nice to have someone of her own, but that didn't mean she was willing to compromise her values or lower her standards. Her parents might be a little crazy, and she wished they were around more, but they loved each other in an all-consuming way she had always wanted to experience for herself. She wasn't going to settle for anything less.

"I'm going to grab my coffee. Do you want anything?" Brooke asked, standing up. When her friend shook her head, she reached for her hand. "He's out there. They say sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs first... I've kissed way more than that..."

The comment drew a chuckle as Brooke had hoped, "Well, in the meantime, rather than kiss any more frogs, I think I'm going to go get myself some ice cream. I could use comfort food and Mint Chip has never let me down," Haley decided, grabbing her bags.

"I'll join you down there in a few minutes," Brooke told her. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"There are actually things you wouldn't do?" Haley teased, shaking her head at her friend.

"Not if the guy's cute," Brooke joked, winking as she turned and walked away.

Haley laughed and walked to the ice cream stand where she ordered two scoops of mint chocolate chip. She juggled her bags, moving them all to one hand so she could hold the cone in the other. Unfortunately, as she went around the corner one of the bags got caught, causing her to stumble and start to fall. Luckily, her plunge was broken by a pair of strong arm, but the same couldn't be said for her ice cream. It flipped out of her hand and landed all over the mystery guy's t-shirt.

"Whoa, are you okay?" the deep voice asked, his arms still supporting her weight as she fought to right herself. "That could have been really bad."

She brushed her hair back from her face and looked up into the deepest pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen. She could feel her face flaming in embarrassment and was glad it wasn't light enough to show the extent of her blush. "Um, yeah. I'm fine," she mumbled, standing up and trying to straighten herself. "I can't say the same for your shirt though."

The guy looked down, as if just realizing the disaster she'd made of his clothes, before shrugging. "No big deal. I'm just glad I was able to catch you. You could've really gotten hurt."

She stepped back to the stand and grabbed a couple of napkins, returning to try and clean up the front of his shirt. "I'm so sorry anyway. It's usually only me I make messes of, I mean, I don't usually make messes of other people..."

He laughed, grabbing her hands in his and stopping their frantic movements. "It's okay. It'll wash. Let's just worry about your stuff before anything gets ruined."

She finally looked past him to realize that her bags had spilled open onto the boardwalk and hurried to try and clean the items up before anything blew away.

"Nice," he laughed, reaching down and picking up a lacy black bra, "you have good taste," he teased.

"Um, actually my friend picked it because she said my underwear are all too boring and I need to spice up my wardrobe a little even if no one is going to see it and she practically forced me to buy something and this was actually the least risqué thing she showed me so I bought it just to get her to leave me alone and I probably will just return it tomorrow..." Haley rambled at top speed, her hands moving in concert with her words.

"Whoa," the guy laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean to... I guess I shouldn't tease girls I don't know."

Haley shook her head, mentally chastising herself for acting so strange. This guy probably thought she was an idiot. She didn't think she'd ever felt this awkward in her entire life. Of course, she'd never been so close a guy this hot before. She couldn't help but watch as he pulled his shirt off over his head, leaving himself in a tight, black, sleeveless undershirt. He was seriously the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome with a body she'd only seen on the models in Brooke's magazines and she found herself checking her chin for drool. She knew he didn't live here because in a town this small she would have seen him before and she could guarantee she wouldn't have forgotten him, not looking like that.

"... another one?"

"What?" she asked, realizing that while she'd zoned out staring at him he'd started to talk again.

He chuckled, "I asked if I could buy you another cone. It's the least I can do after embarrassing you."

"No, that's okay. It's my fault I spilled it. You already helped by stopping me from falling flat on my face," she said, her voice steadying as she laughed at her own clumsiness.

"It's the least I can do miss," he said, pausing at the end and waiting for her to fill in the pause.

"James, Haley James," she told him.

"Well, James Haley James, I guess my services are no longer needed," he said, smiling as he handed her the last of her bags. "It was nice to meet you. Be careful. Some guys might be the type to take advantage of a beautiful damsel in distress."

Haley blushed again and he took the silence as a cue to walk away. She couldn't let him leave so fast, not without knowing who he was. "Hey," she screwed up her courage and shouted, "I didn't get your name."

He turned, a sexy smirk that made her heart race lighting his features, "It's Nathan."

* * *

Haley walked over and got herself another ice cream, this time in a cup just to be safe. Securing her things, she carefully made it to their groups' normal table where she was quickly joined by her friend. "Who was Mr. Tall, Dark, and Delicious?"

"Brooke, you have a boyfriend," Haley pointed out, taking a bite of her ice cream and trying to act as though her heart wasn't still racing. If her friend knew, she'd never hear the end of it.

Brooke waved her off, sliding in next to her. "That's why I have to live through you. Although, I have to admit I might have turned Julian down if I'd known this guy was coming to town."

"Brooke!" Haley gasped in surprise. "Don't say stuff like that."

"Julian knows I love him. He doesn't care if I look, as long as I don't touch," Brooke told her friend with a wink. "So, were his arms as strong as they looked? Because he looked totally ripped."

"Stronger," Haley admitted, her mind drifting back before she stopped herself, shaking her head. "But nothing can happen."

"Why not? Is he only here for today? Because he was totally flirting with you Tutor Girl," Brooke advised her friend. She couldn't remember Haley ever reacting this way to a boy she just met and wanted to encourage it. She thought her friend was too serious and wished she'd move a little further out of her comfort zone every once in a while, especially when it came to guys.

"He didn't say, but if I'm right, he's here for at least the summer," Haley told her, unaware of the direction her friend's mind had gone.

"Great! That's just what you need to forget all about Alex. A summer fling," Brooke squealed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "We have to go back to the store and get you..."

"You know I don't do flings Brooke," Haley cautioned her, knowing once Brooke got going on an idea it would be impossible to stop. "Besides, it's more complicated than that. I think he's Lucas' brother."

"But Lucas doesn't have any...oh, that brother," Brooke responded, finally understanding. "How do you know?"

"What are the odds of there being two new Nathans, the same age, on the same weekend, in Tree Hill?" Haley rolled her eyes at Brooke. "It has to be him."

"Okay, well that puts a different spin on it, but it's not like you're dating Luke so why does it matter if you like his brother?" Brooke tried to convince her friend. Haley had been more upset than she let on about the debacle with Alex and Brooke wanted her to move on and be happy. As far as she was concerned, Lucas' opinion didn't matter. He'd done plenty of things the rest of them hadn't approved of, including cheating on her with one of her best friends.

"It just does. Lucas hates his guts..."

"It's not like Nathan did anything to deserve it," Brooke pointed out. "It's not his fault Dan couldn't keep it in his pants."

"That may be true, but Luke already feels betrayed by his Dad. I can't date his enemy, even if it's not the guys' fault."

"Wait, you're thinking about dating him already? I was just talking about a kiss, or maybe even a hookup. I wasn't thinking relationship," Brooke said, bouncing on her seat in happiness. "He must have really done a number on you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Haley shook her head dejectedly, "It doesn't matter anyway."

"Are you sure?" Brooke asked, "If you really like him, Lucas will survive."

"Maybe, but it doesn't mean our friendship would," Haley grumbled out. "I can't do that to him. Besides, guys like that flirt with everyone. I'm sure it didn't mean anything, he probably has a girlfriend. He wasn't even going to tell me his name."

Brooke decided to give in for the moment. She knew her friend was stubborn enough to hold onto her decision even if it was wrong. She'd have to work at chipping away at Haley's resolve over the next few days. She looked at her watch, "I hate leaving you right now, especially without all the details, but I'm supposed to meet Julian and I'm running late. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, but remember what I said earlier? I was wrong," Haley whispered, her tone dejected as she looked out across the pier and then back at her friend.

"About?" Brooke asked, tilting her head in question.

"The spark," Haley said, twisting her spoon around in her melting dessert. She looked up at her friend and one side of her lips curved up in a sad half smile, "Apparently I CAN feel it."

* * *

Nathan continued walking along the cape, a smile on his face from his encounter with the blonde girl. _Haley_. It was a simple, pretty name and it fit her. She'd been nervous and awkward, but there was something so real and genuine about her. He hoped he ran into her, only figuratively, again. Of course, the fact that she'd been gorgeous didn't hurt either. If he was interested in dating, she'd definitely have topped his list. Of course, he wasn't interested in dating. He had his life mapped out and there was no spot for a girlfriend in there. Sure, he was interested in girls, he wasn't a monk. He was good looking and popular so it wasn't as if he even had to look for them, but inevitably they weren't worth the trouble they brought him. He thought back to the one girl he'd let slip past his defenses before pushing the thought away. She was simply proof that relationships were a waste of time and emotion.

Basketball was his ticket, the thing he could focus on that never let him down, and he was going to put it first. A brief thought of the girl from the pier flashed through his mind again, but he pushed it away. If he met someone after he made it to the NBA, then maybe he'd think about settling down and having kids , but until then, he wasn't going there. No matter how tempting a pair of deep brown eyes could be.

He saw lights up ahead and heard the unmistakable sound of a basketball hitting the pavement and without a second thought, he headed toward the spot. Stopping in the area still blanketed by darkness he watched as the boys played a game of 2 on 2. Two of the boys were clearly better than the others, but with them on opposite sides, it made the teams fairly even. He watched for a few minutes, debating whether to say something or not. They seemed like they were having a good time and it would be nice to play, but something held him back. The lanky blonde, clearly the best player of the bunch made a long jump shot and proclaimed victory before looking at his watch and then heading to the bleachers for his things. The other boys looked like they were still interested in playing and he prepared to step forward and offer himself as their fourth when the blonde slipped on his sweatshirt, the Raven's logo emblazoned on the front and Scott 3 on the back.

"Hey Lucas," one of the boys yelled, affirming his deduction. "It'll be okay. Don't let it get to you."

Lucas only nodded before walking to a car that he hadn't even realized was there on the other side of the court.

Nathan stepped further back, making sure he wasn't seen. He hadn't known Dan's other son, he refused to even think of him as his brother, played the sport as well. Although admittedly, if Dan could be believed about his playing days, he should have expected it. He wondered if the fact they both played would become a bond that could help them to get to know each other or if it would become a bone of contention that would make it so they never did. He guessed only time would tell. Honestly, he wasn't even sure which way he'd prefer. That's how messed up the situation was.

He figured he should probably get back to the house. He wasn't stupid. He knew that the boy he just saw had skipped out on the family dinner earlier. His mother had tried to brush it off, but Nathan knew Karen had been upset by the absence and would probably want to introduce them as soon as she was able. He started walking back the way he came. He had a feeling a confrontation was inevitable and he might as well get it over with.

When he arrived back to the house, he heard yelling upstairs and not wanting to be part of that, he changed direction and went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

"You need to grow up," Dan said, his voice carrying. "This isn't easy for anyone, but you acting like a spoiled brat is making it even harder, especially for your mother. She deserves better."

"That's rich coming from the man whose bastard just came to live with us," Lucas argued, brushing past his father and heading down the stairs. He adjusted the bags in his hands. "You did this to us."

"Where are you going?" Dan asked, following his son. "It's late."

"You can pretend all you want that everything is fine and we're all one happy family, but I'm not going to be a part of it. I'm going to stay with Skills for a while," Lucas told him, reaching the bottom of the stairs and turning, "I wouldn't want to get in the way of your bonding time with your other son."

He continued forward, entering the kitchen, the face to face meeting surprising both boys, "Well, if it isn't the mistake," he sneered, shaking his head. "You know, you're only here because he feels sorry for you. When he feels like he's paid his penance, you'll be shipped back to whatever hole you crawled out of."

"I didn't ask to come here," Nathan pointed out defensively. "In fact, I'd love to go back. Why don't you do us both a favor and find a way to make it happen?"

Lucas' eyes widened in surprise at the comeback before his face returned to its fierce expression. "I'm sure it will happen soon enough on its own. You don't belong here."

He continued out of the house, the tires of his car squealing as he left the driveway. Nathan picked up his water and looked around the fancy kitchen as he took another drink. Lucas was right about one thing, he didn't belong there. He stood up and headed to his room for what he figured would be another night of tossing and turning as he attempted to sleep in the unaccustomed quiet. At least this summer didn't look like it was going to be boring.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the delay with this chapter, this week got crazy. My father lost his job after almost 34 years and my sister and her boyfriend of 2 years had to fight his parents who tried to force them to break up. There's been a lot of drama and I haven't had any time or energy to get this finished and posted. Thankfully, the latter situation has been resolved, for now at least, and I have a free weekend before I get hit with a ton of holiday stuff. Hopefully, I'll be able to get another chapter written before that happens. Anyway, this one is at least a little longer, so I hope you enjoy.

 **Ch 4**

Nathan stood in the kitchen drinking a cup of orange juice and watching the sunrise from the window as Karen finished cooking breakfast. He'd been an early riser for as long as he could remember, probably because it was often the only time he got to see his mom during the day, something he had always treasured. In this house, Karen was usually the only other person up so early and while they didn't talk much, they'd learned to be comfortable around each other.

The first full day there Dan had shown him the weight room and he'd spent most of his time the previous days in there working his muscles to the point of exhaustion. Lifting was something he enjoyed and he knew how important it was for his future in basketball. If he was going to play at the next level he knew he needed to continue to get stronger. He also knew that the effort would help him to sleep instead of laying awake worrying about his mom.

Dan had joined him for a few minutes a couple of times, but the two of them still hadn't really talked. The man seemed like he was trying to give him space and while it wasn't expected, he definitely appreciated it. When he woke up that morning though, for the first time, Dan had surprised him by being ready and joining him on his run. It had been a little awkward and he still didn't know how to act around the older man, but he could admit it was nice to have someone to run with again. He and Quentin had always worked out together back home and it was nice to have the presence of another person while he trained. He just wasn't sure how he felt about that person being his father.

Dan had asked him some questions on the three mile circuit, and Nathan had tried not to be bothered and answer honestly, but often bristled at what felt like an intrusion he wasn't ready for. Eventually, they'd given up and settled for talking about basketball, a subject that was dear to both of their hearts and a lot less likely to become emotional or tense than most others.

He watched as Karen started to put food on the counter, the smells making his mouth water. He'd had so many years of cereal or something else fast that it was a treat to have a fresh homemade meal in the morning and it was quickly spoiling him. He might have to add another mile to his morning run if he was going to keep eating like this every day. There was no way he was letting himself get out of shape.

Just as Nathan sat down, Dan walked into the room, showered and dressed for work. He nodded to Nathan and kissed his wife on the cheek before grabbing some food. The three of them made small talk for a few minutes before Lucas walked in the back door, his gaze traveling between the rooms' three occupants. He glared at them, "isn't this the cutest little family scene?"

"Lucas," Dan said, surprised by his son's entrance, "We didn't know you were coming."

"It doesn't matter. Don't let me interrupt your bonding time," Lucas told them, continuing on toward the stairs.

Dan moved to go after him but the boy ignored him and kept going. Karen asked him to let it go.

"He needs more time," she told him, holding back his arm. "He'll come around. He's stubborn, but he's also smart enough to realize when enough is enough."

He came back a few minutes later and without saying a word to either of his parents walked back out the door, slamming it behind him.

Nathan winced at the sound as it reverberated through the house and noticed Karen squeezing her eyes shut as if to fight off tears. He honestly didn't care whether the boy liked him or not, but the tension in the house was becoming uncomfortable. He wasn't naive enough to believe he'd have reacted much better toward the interloper if the roles had been reversed, but Karen was starting to really get upset about it and that pissed Nathan off. He wasn't sure what to think about his father, but he liked and respected Karen and thought Lucas was acting like a real jerk. He'd never have treated his mother the way he'd seen the blonde do for the last few days.

Karen sighed, her shoulders slumping as she looked at the door. "I have to get going." She grabbed her purse and keys, her body showing her dread for the day before her. She turned to her husband, "I'm not sure what time I'll be home so maybe you could take care of dinner tonight?"

Dan nodded, his face solemn in the face of her stress. He'd help her if he could, but he had a busy day himself and couldn't avoid going to work himself, "Don't worry about it. I'll pick something up on the way home."

"Aren't you going to eat with us?" Nathan asked in surprise, drawing the adults attention. The way they jumped he wondered if they'd actually forgotten he was even in the room. Usually she sat next to him while they ate and even though it was sometimes awkward, he found that he actually enjoyed having someone fuss over him a little. He'd been basically on his own for so long that he'd almost forgotten how it had felt when his mother did the little things for him when he was younger and it made him miss her all the more.

Karen shook her head, smiling at him ruefully. "I'd love to, but I have to get to the cafe. Maria and is out sick and I have to open. As it is, we're still going to be really shorthanded this morning since Lucas hasn't been showing up and Heather left early for college."

Nathan thought about the scene he'd just witnessed and assumed Lucas wouldn't be there today either. He now understood her body language and realized he didn't like the idea of the woman who'd been so kind to him running herself to the ground because her son was pouting. She had a lot to deal with as it was without worrying about the cafe.

"I can help," he surprised everyone, including himself. He paused and questioned what he was offering for a minute but at the hopeful look on her face he decided to go for it. "If you want."

"Are you sure?" she asked, giving him an out. She'd thought about asking him out of desperation, but didn't want him to feel like he had to work for his spot in their lives. There was already a trust issue there and she had no desire to add any more complications. "It's not fun or glamorous."

Nathan grabbed a muffin and a few slices of bacon, placing them on a napkin before standing. "I'm sure. I can handle it, I've worked in my mom's pub for years."

"Then I'll gladly accept your help," Karen smiled gratefully, "let's go."

* * *

"So are you going to keep avoiding your parents forever?" Jake asked as sat on Skills bed. He was starting to get frustrated with his friend and decided he'd stayed quiet long enough, "I understand you being upset, but this is a little ridiculous."

"I went into that house and the three of them were there eating breakfast and acting like a perfect little Stepford family. It's like they forgot all about me, but I'm the one being ridiculous?" Lucas argued, throwing his hands up in the air. "I refuse to live under the same roof with that bastard."

"First of all, acting the way you are makes it a little rough to condone you calling him names. Secondly, you could at least help your mom at the Cafe. It's not like you to be so inconsiderate man. You know it's been hard on her and Haley without you there," Jake pointed out. Peyton and Brooke had asked him to talk to their friend and see if he could get through to him. "You shouldn't be taking it out on them."

"Just the thought that he exists makes me so angry I can hardly see straight," Lucas sat on the bed and ran his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly he tried to calm himself, "but you're right, I've been letting them down and I'm sure Haley's pissed. I should probably head over there now and let the groveling begin."

"What are you going to do about the rest of it?" Jake asked, knowing how hard all this was weighing on his friend, but also the toll his actions were taking on the rest of them. "Are you ready to go home?"

"I don't know," Lucas said, his shoulders slumped as he turned back. "I don't feel like I know anything anymore."

* * *

Karen walked into the back room of the cafe to find Haley already there mixing up donuts. She had her blonde hair up in a messy bun and flour on her cheek and across her apron and jeans.

"Sorry I'm a little behind. Thank you for getting started," Karen said, grabbing her apron off the hook.

"No problem," the girl said, looking up briefly, "did you get someone to come in for Luke? I swear, I'm going to kick his butt when I see him next time. He shouldn't expect us to cover for him just because he can't get his head out of his...oh," she stopped as she realized someone else followed through the door. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was and her voice came out breathy, "Nathan."

"Haley?" Nathan asked in surprise. He had no idea that she worked at the cafe. If he'd known, he might have volunteered even sooner, or maybe, he admitted to himself not at all. He wasn't sure how to deal with the girl in front of him. She'd looked beautiful the last time he'd seen her dressed up a little for a day on the town and this morning, dressed for work she looked...adorably messy. He mentally smacked himself upside the head. He wondered when the last time was he'd even thought something like that. He looked away, suddenly feeling awkward. Sure, he'd enjoyed their brief encounter the other night, but he'd thought about it way too many times for his peace of mind. He had enough to worry about without a girl invading his life.

Haley looked at him in full light and he was even better looking than she remembered. He was wearing a blue Kentucky Basketball t-shirt that molded to his muscular build and a pair of jeans that were just tight enough to cling in all the right places. Such a simple outfit shouldn't have made her heart race, but the way the blue brought out his eyes seemed to have just that effect. Either that, or the temperature in the kitchen had just raised 20 degrees.

Oblivious to the tension between the teens, Karen bustled around the kitchen getting more things going. "Can you get the coffee started?" she asked Nathan, breaking the silence and snapping them back to focus. "Haley can show you how."

"I've made coffee plenty of times. I'm sure I can figure it out," he told them instead, turning and walking back through the swinging door to the front of the cafe, the sound of the door echoing in the quiet room.

"I didn't realize you two had met," Karen asked after a moment, mixing up a batch of dough on the table in front of her. "I'm glad though. I had hoped that Luke would introduce him to some of you, but with him being the way he's been, Nathan has pretty much been stuck with Dan and I for company. Part of the reason he came in the first place is his mom was worried about him spending too much time by himself, but all he's done since he got here is spend all day in the weight room. I feel like we're letting him down."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. This isn't easy on you and you're trying to worry about everyone else. He doesn't seem shy, I'm sure he would go out and meet people if he wanted to," Haley tried to reassure her. He hadn't had any trouble interacting with her on the boardwalk and she knew he had people skills, so his isolation was probably by choice, not lack of options.

"I don't think he wants to though," Karen told her, "I think he feels like he's just serving a sentence and he'll get out of here and never look back when the summer is over. It would certainly make things easier, but I don't think it's the best thing for him, or actually for Dan and Lucas either."

Haley looked over her shoulder and made sure Nathan was still busy in the other room before asking, "So he's just here for the summer? What about school?"

Karen debated saying any more for a moment, but decided it wasn't a big deal to share the info, "He was at a private school, on scholarship for basketball, but his mom had to pay the last part of it herself. Since she got sick, she couldn't pay the last installment. They let him finish the year since there were only a couple weeks left anyway, but she won't be able to afford for him to go back in the fall."

"So is he going with us then?"

Karen shook her head no, "I really doubt it. Dan promised him he'd pay it if he wanted to go back, as long as he joined us until then. It's probably the only reason he's here. I know he didn't want to come."

"I'm also here because it's what my mom wanted," he said, walking back into the room, "and since she rarely asks anything of me, I figured it must be important to her. I don't like to let her down."

"I'm sorry Nathan," Karen said, immediately contrite. "I didn't mean to gossip or..."

"Whatever," he said, waving away her apology. "I don't have any secrets. Just, if you have something you want to know, I'd prefer you asked me directly," he said, looking between the two women. "Then I can be sure you're at least hearing the truth."

Haley nodded, totally embarrassed at her lapse of judgment. "Sure," she said awkwardly. "I'm not normally so nosy..."

"It's fine," he shrugged off the apology, "like I said, I'm not hiding anything." He turned to Karen, dismissing the subject entirely. "I made a pot of regular, do you want decaf made too?"

Karen nodded and he went back to the front to continue his task. "Ugh," Haley groaned, covering her face with her hands and leaning against the counter with her elbows, "I keep embarrassing myself in front of him. I don't know why I seem to act so stupid when he's around." She explained the ice cream incident and how they met the first time.

"Well, he is pretty hot," Karen responded, drawing a shocked look from the younger girl. "What? He looks a lot like his dad did at that age and girls were always drooling over him. Isn't that the proper word nowadays?"

Haley just shook her head and got back to work, the next half hour flying by and pretty soon they were ready to open the doors.

"You ready?" Haley asked, coming to stand beside him, "Friday mornings can be crazy." After working together for a while she was starting to get more comfortable with him and found that he was easy to be around. It also helped that she had managed to refrain from making a fool of herself for awhile.

"Of course," he told her as he came out from behind the counter, his long legs reaching her in a few steps, "Piece of cake."

"See you're already messing up. That's not usually served until lunch," she teased, playfully pushing him toward the door, "it's mostly muffins and bagels this early."

He laughed, rolling his eyes as the first customer entered, "very funny James. You should put together a routine."

As predicted, they got hit with a rush almost immediately and it was almost 10 before things finally slowed down. Haley looked over and saw Nathan plop himself into a chair in the corner. She smiled and finished taking her customer's payment before heading his way. "You tired already? I thought you were an athlete. Don't you have to be in great shape?"

"You just think you're so funny, don't you?" he shook his head. "I'm in shape for basketball, but that was nuts. I felt like I was going ten ways at once and I'm pretty sure I got my butt pinched by an old lady. How do you do this all the time?"

"I guess I'm used to it and old lady's don't usually pinch my backside," she smiled teasingly. "I'm sorry about that actually. I probably should have warned you about Mrs. Robertson. She's gotten Lucas more than once and he refuses to go near her."

"Yeah, thanks for that heads up. On the plus side, I know to watch out for ladies with blue hair now," he told her, standing up and moving to clean off the table of the couple who'd just left. He pulled a ten dollar bill out of his pocket, "At least she left a good tip."

"See, there's always a bright side. You just have to look for it."

* * *

Deb Lee looked at the clock, watching the hands tick past as she waited for the test results that would decide her next course of treatment. If her counts were improved, they would continue with the current course, but if they were up, they were going to change medications and start with painful spinal injections. She closed her eyes. She was so tired most of the time and it felt like all she did was sleep and have her chemotherapy treatments. There were actually times when she wondered if it was even worth fighting anymore, but then she would think about her son and those thoughts would abate. He was the joy of her life and she wanted more than anything to be able to be there to see him graduate, get married, maybe even have children.

She knew he wasn't happy with her decision to send him to Tree Hill, and honestly there were moments when she wondered if she'd done the right thing, but him spending his summer working and visiting her in the hospital every day wasn't what she wanted for him. She knew he was planning on playing basketball at Kentucky the following year and this would be his last summer to have any semblance of a normal, relatively carefree life and she wanted that for him, even if it was away from her.

The door creaked and she opened her eyes, expecting to see her doctor, but instead saw her best friend Denise. "I brought you some soup."

Deb smiled, moving her bed into a position where she was sitting up. "That's perfect. I'm not up to eating anything more these days."

Her friend nodded knowingly, "Have you talked to Nate, because my boy is driving me crazy? The way he's moping around this week you'd think those boys had never been away from each other."

"He says he's fine, but to be honest, he doesn't sound that great. I know we wanted them to wait longer, but It might be a good idea to let Quentin give him a call," Deb said, taking out the small container of soup and setting it on the small table. "Interestingly enough though, the only time he seemed to perk up was when he mentioned a girl."

"Nate likes a girl?" Denise asked in disbelief. "That's big news. What's her name?"

"I don't think he even knows her, he just met her on the boardwalk, but something about the way he related the incident, actually the fact he told me at all, tells me there might be something there," Deb told her friend. "Unfortunately, even if there is, I know my son. He won't let anything happen that would get in the way of basketball. Sometimes it seems like that's all he cares about. He's so closed off. I mean, he acts all charming, but it's just a front. I wish he'd let people get close to him. That's not the way to live your life."

"Q is the same way. He told me they don't need anyone else, they have each other's backs," Denise said. "As much as I hate to say it, the boys do have a point. They know what they want and they are going after it. There's certainly something to be said for having ambition. Besides, dating in high school can get messy fast, especially if those involved have different plans for the future."

"I know," Deb said, her tone resigned as she tried to explain her feelings. "I guess it just feels like he's missing out on some of the most important things about high school. I don't want him to have any regrets. You're only young once."

* * *

Nathan leaned against the counter and grinned at the girl across from him. "You swiped another spoonful of frosting didn't you?"

"No, of course not. Why would you think that?" Haley said nervously. "I wouldn't do that."

"Well," he said, "I think the chocolate spot on the side of your mouth argues otherwise."

Haley reached up to wipe it away, embarrassed at being caught out, but missing it entirely.

He laughed, grabbing a napkin and reaching out to wipe it for her, "it's okay. It'll be our secret. My mom says you should never get between a girl and her chocolate."

"I couldn't help it. I finished frosting the last cake and there was still a little in the bowl and it's sooo good."

Nathan just humored her as she practically moaned at the memory. "I'm sure it was."

"I'm sure you have a weakness somewhere buddy. Even someone in shape as you probably eats sweets now and then," she told him.

He shook his head, leaving to refill coffee for a few of the customers while Haley took orders from a new pair of patrons.

"Apple pie," he said when they were next standing next to each other behind the counter.

"Huh?" Haley asked, completely confused by what seemed like a totally random statement.

"You asked if I had any weaknesses," Nathan reminded her, "so I told you. Apple pie is my weakness. But only the homemade kind, the stuff from stores just isn't the same. "

"You've never had Karen's," Haley told him, grabbing the glasses in front of her and filling them. "Next time we have it on the menu, you've got to try it."

"I'll make sure I do that," he laughed. "I never turn down a good piece of pie."

* * *

"You leaving?" Nathan asked as Haley took off her apron. This was the second time they'd worked together and he'd enjoyed it a lot more that day, after knowing what to expect, "I thought the shift went until 2?"

"It normally does, but Karen let me off early to take my mom to the doctor," Haley told him, walking into the back room and grabbing her purse before returning a moment later. "It's slow now anyway."

"Is she okay? Is it serious?" Nathan's mind conjuring all kinds of scenarios that would cause a daughter to drive her mom to the hospital. He'd played chauffer often enough to have personal experience in the variety of procedures that could make that a necessity.

Haley looked back at the boy, the tone of his voice cluing her in that he'd read more into it than she'd meant. "No, no...she's fine. She's just having her eyes dilated so she doesn't want to drive home. It's no big deal."

Nathan breathed a sigh of relief, "that's good. I mean, that she's okay."

Haley paused, looking around and making sure no one was listening. "I'm sorry about your mom. I'm sure it must be hard being so far away from her. How's she doing?"

Nathan shrugged, acting like it wasn't the main thing he thought about from the time he woke up until he finally found peace in sleep. "I've talked to her for at least a couple minutes every night since I got here. She's hanging in there."

"That's good," Haley smiled softly, seeing that he was putting on a brave face. It made her want to help and before she knew it she was volunteering her help in the only way she knew how. "You know, if you ever need to talk about it, I've been told I'm a pretty good listener."

"Thanks," he said, one corner of his mouth curling up. "I'll think about it."

* * *

Haley walked up to the Rivercourt, surprised to find Lucas all alone. "Where are the other guys?"

Lucas shrugged. "Probably hanging out with the enemy. It seems to be going around lately," he snapped before turning and shooting a jump shot.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Haley asked, placing her hands on her hips. She'd tried talking to him, she'd listened to him rant, and she'd tried giving him time. Nothing seemed to be improving and his attitude was really starting to grate on her nerves. They'd been friends for almost ten years and she didn't remember ever being so frustrated with him.

"It means, I was actually starting to feel bad about not being at work and decided to come in, but when I got there, it looked like I'd already been replaced," he told her. "So much for everyone saying he isn't here to take what's mine. So far he's gotten my parents, my house, my job, and now he's started on my friends."

"He hasn't taken anything," Haley argued, taking a deep breath and running her hands over her face in frustration. "You're throwing it away. Your parents are just trying to make him feel comfortable in an unfamiliar place and your house is still yours even if you just refuse to live there. As for your job, he has been helping out because we were short handed and needed someone to cover for you. You know, since you were too busy throwing a fit to come in. It could have gone really badly if he hadn't stepped in and worked so hard. You should thank him for that, not blame him."

"I notice you skipped the part about my friends," he pointed out, petulantly. "You two seemed pretty chummy."

Haley rolled her eyes. She loved him, but he could be such a child sometimes. It almost felt like she was a toy and even though he wasn't spending time with it, no one else was allowed to either. "Nathan was there when you bailed on us. That's your fault buddy."

"That doesn't mean you have to be all cuddly with him," Lucas complained, kicking at a few loose rocks.

"Are you kidding me? We were just working together. There was no cuddling or touching of any kind," Haley told him, her disappointment reaching its peak. She took a few deep breaths to reign in her emotions as she walked over and sat on the first step of the bleachers. She thought about what she wanted to say next as she waited for him to join her.

"I love you Luke, you know that. I'm your best friend and I've always got your back, but I'm getting sick of how you're handling this and so is everyone else," Haley told him, her shoulders slumped in defeat. She hated that her best friend was hurting, but that didn't make it any easier to accept how he was treating everyone around him. She looked into his eyes, pleading with him to understand. "Nathan is not your enemy, in fact, he isn't any happier about this situation than you are. The difference is, he's at least trying to make the best of it."

"I can't," Lucas said, turning away from her. He couldn't bear to look into her eyes and see the disillusionment in them. "I can't just accept this and pretend everything is okay."

"You don't have to," Haley said, placing her hand on his back in an attempt to soothe him, "but all you're doing now is hurting everyone, especially your mom."

"This isn't right, she shouldn't have to deal with this either. It's so messed up."

"I know, but it's not her fault and as much as you don't want to hear this, it isn't Nathan's either," Haley said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "He's a nice guy, who I think has been through a lot. You'd know that if you actually gave him a chance."

"I'll think about it," Lucas told her, not knowing if he was capable of doing as she asked, but also hating how he was hurting her. "You forgive me?"

"For being a total jerk?" Haley grinned, placing her finger by her mouth and pretending to decide, "I'll think about it."


	5. Chapter 5

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Mine was crazy and this coming week is going to be even crazier, so I'm not sure when I'll get the next chapter up, but here is this one. I hope you enjoy.

 **Ch 5**

Haley finished loading the display case with the fresh baked goods but couldn't help but notice how her co-worker was acting. Normally he was friendly and almost perky in the mornings. In fact, just the day before they'd joked about being the only people smiling that early in the morning, but ever since he arrived that day he'd seemed pre-occupied. She approached him at the counter, "You okay? You seem a little down."

He took a deep breath and answered without looking up, "My mom called last night and she got some more bad news." He wiped down the counter for the third time, his movements automatic. "It wasn't a surprise, but it still sucks."

"I'm sorry," she said, sitting on a stool in front of him, "it must be hard."

He looked up into her compassionate eyes and couldn't help but let some of his feelings escape, "She just can't catch a break and I hate feeling so helpless. I mean, at least when I'm there I feel like I can do something... I can read to her or bring her things. I hate that she's going through this and I'm here trying to do whatever it she wants of me...I'm sorry," he cut off his rant, shaking his head and throwing the rag down in frustration. It wasn't like him to let his feelings get the best of him and he knew it wasn't the time or place for it even if he was. He straightened his shoulders and put a tight lid back on his churning emotions. "You don't want to hear about this."

"No, I mean, if you need to talk about it, I'm here," Haley said, reaching out and placing her hand on his arm. "That's what friends are for, right?"

Nathan nodded hesitantly, pulling back his arm as if he'd been singed, "sure... I guess. We should get back to work. It's almost time to open."

"If you need to..."

"Nah, I'll be okay," Nathan said, waving her off and stepping back from the counter, "I just let it get to me a little too much sometimes."

"It's a lot to deal with. I'm here if you want to talk about it more," she told him, trying not to push but hoping he would take her up on the offer.

"Thanks, but I'm okay," he replied, the earlier emotions suddenly buried again. If she hadn't seen him moments ago, she wouldn't know anything was even bothering him. She couldn't help but wonder how often he hid behind the carefree facade he showed people, because when she got glimpses beyond it, she saw a guy carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. She couldn't help but wonder how long anyone could carry that load alone without breaking.

She sighed, deciding to just go along with him for now, "Let's get this place open for business."

* * *

Lucas walked into his father's office and finding it empty, he sat down to wait. This conversation was long overdue and needed to be had before he could go back home.

After a while, he got impatient and stood, moving over to the built in shelves and looking at the pictures there. Most of them were of him, or him and his father together, their eyes shining with love. He had always been his father's pride and joy, but it was hard to look at the images knowing that the entire time, there was another son out there that they didn't even know about. One that looked just like his father. More than one person had made the comment in his hearing about the Scott blood running true in Nathan and he'd had to clench his fists to stop himself from hitting them. It's not like it was his fault he inherited his grandmother's blonde hair. It didn't make him any less his father's son. He shook his head, looking away from the pictures. The entire family dynamic had been altered and whether he liked it or not, there was now another piece in their puzzle. He couldn't help but wonder how that affected their relationship going forward and if he and his father could ever be as close as they were before.

"I'm sorry," Dan said, finally walking through the door. "Rob was having a problem I had to help with and then Keith stopped to talk to me about an error with our most recent delivery. It's been chaos all day." He moved over to stand next to his son and pointed to a picture of them on the beach. "That was a great day."

Lucas nodded, looking at the image of the seemingly perfect family on their vacation a few years earlier. "It was."

"How are you doing?" Dan asked, moving to sit behind his desk.

Lucas shrugged, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked over to the window. "Ok, I guess. I came because I hate this whatever it is we seem to be stuck in, and before I can move on or whatever, I need to know what really happened."

Dan started to talk but Lucas cut him off, "not the 30 second version you gave me before, the whole story. I think I deserve that."

* * *

"Could those girls be any more obvious?" Haley asked, rolling her eyes in disgust.

"What? Which ones?" Nathan asked, amused by her actions. He'd really enjoyed working with her and more than once her commentary had caused him to laugh out loud. This time though, she seemed unusually annoyed.

"Seriously?" she asked in disbelief, "the ones in the corner than have been here for almost two hours for coffee and a muffin. They are totally stalking you."

"They are not," Nathan laughed in surprise. He couldn't believe that's what had her flustered. "They're just hanging out. Isn't that what girls do?"

"They seriously stare at you and take turns calling you over for refills only to giggle and sigh every time you walk away," Haley explained. "They aren't here for the food, they're here for you."

"It doesn't matter," Nathan waved off her suggestion, looking over at the girls and noticing their eyes were still on him as he stood across the room. "Nothing's going to happen. They'll realize it and move on."

"They don't seem to think so," Haley said, pulling out a napkin she'd swiped from their table with little heart doodles surrounding his name. "They've got it bad. I've never seen them in here and now they've been here three days in a row."

"What can I say? I have that effect on people," he smirked, taking out a rag and wiping down the table he'd just cleaned off.

"You're encouraging them," she argued, fighting a smile at his comment, "flirting and being all charming. They think they have a chance with you."

"You think I'm charming?" Nathan asked, his mouth curving into a smirk that made her belly flutter. She put her hand over it as if he could see the movement she felt.

"That's not what I said," Haley said, moving her hands to her hips. She was trying to stay serious, but having trouble with the way he was acting. It amazed her that he could be cocky and yet disarmingly cute at the same time.

"I'm not doing anything but being nice," Nathan told her, the joking tone gone from his voice, "I'm certainly not trying to lead them on, I wouldn't do that. Besides, they're wasting their time, I'm not interested and even if I were, I don't date."

"Yeah right," she told him, surprised to see him remain serious. "You really don't date? Ever?"

"Nope," he told her. "I don't want the distraction. I've already got enough drama in my life and once I get back home, very little time. Besides, from what I've seen, relationships lead to pain and heartbreak. I'd rather avoid any more of that."

"Well maybe you should tell them that," she urged him. She had already decided they'd never be more than friends, so she was surprised at the way her heart seemed to fall at his declaration. She sloughed it off to examine later. She'd seen girls come in and get crushes on Lucas before and a couple of times it even got ugly when he turned them down. Admittedly though, she'd never seen it this bad and thought it best that they put a stop to it before it got worse. As it was, they were taking up too much of his time with their constant bids for his attention.

"Are you kidding me?" Nathan shook his head in dismay. "That's the last thing I should do. Believe me, I've learned that the hard way. Girls like that only take it as a challenge and try harder. I definitely don't want that or they really will be stalkers."

Haley thought about some of the girls at school and realized he was probably right, "Maybe I should take their table for you."

"I have a better idea," Nathan said, gesturing for her to come with him.

"What are you up to Nathan?"

"You want me to make sure they know I'm not available right, stomp on their hopes and dreams?"

She laughed at his choice of words, but nodded and followed him to the table, wondering what he was up to.

"Ladies, since we're becoming such good friends," he said, emphasizing the final word, "I want you to meet my girlfriend Haley." He smiled, placing his arm around her shoulder and pulling her to his side.

"Um, okay," the girls mumbled, their faces falling as they looked back and forth with each other and then back at the supposed couple. "Hi Haley. It's...uh..nice to meet you."

"I was telling her how sweet you girls are," he continued, pretending to be oblivious to their reactions as he turned to Haley. "Apparently they're big basketball fans. They can't wait to watch me play at Kentucky."

"That's great," Haley played along, leaning her head against his chest and looking up at him. He smelled like coffee and something else she couldn't place but wanted to take home in a bottle. The steady beat of his heart thumped beneath her head and she found herself wanting to snuggle in even closer. "I can't wait either, um, sweetie."

"What the hell?" they heard from behind them, causing Haley to yank away from him and turn around too quickly. She caught her foot on a chair and stumbled. Nathan reached for her but he was too late to stop her from falling against an empty table.

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked, dropping to his knees next to her.

"I'm fine," she said, her hand going to the side of her face to check for blood.

Lucas sat down next to her, pushing Nathan away and pulling her into his arms.

"Is there anything I can do?" Nathan asked her, surprised at the territorial look on the blonde boys face .

"I'll take care my best friend, you aren't needed here anymore," Lucas told him angrily as he helped her to stand and led her across the room to an empty booth.

Nathan stood and watched them go in shock. He noticed how Haley leaned against the other boy, her arm automatically wrapping securely around his waist, and realized he should have seen this coming a mile away. Of course they were friends, they'd known each other and worked together long before he ever showed up. It was the way of the universe that loved to screw with him to make the first person he'd started to feel close to in a long time, the best friend of someone who hated him. He shook his head, knowing he should be used to this kind of crap by now.

"I'll go get some ice," he said, turning to head toward the kitchen, unsure if either of them even heard him.

"What was that when I walked in?" Lucas asked, examining her head as he stood next to her seated form. "He had his hands all over you."

"He did not," Haley said, wincing as the prodded the injured area. "We were pretending to be a couple because the girls over there were getting a little obsessed and I wanted to stop it before it got worse."

"So it wasn't real?" Lucas asked, skeptically, "You looked pretty comfortable with it."

"Are you jealous?" Haley asked, annoyed at his insinuations. "Come on Luke, we were acting."

"I didn't know you could act that well," Lucas pointed out, moving her hand to look at her cheek. "He seemed awfully concerned when you fell."

"He would have acted that way for anyone," Haley argued, closing her eyes for a moment as her head pounded. She was going to have a serious headache and probably a few bruises.

"So you swear there's nothing going on between the two of you?" Lucas asked, dipping his head to look into her eyes. "You don't usually act like that with guys you just met."

"I swear. I think he's nice and I'm grateful he helped us out when we needed him. There's nothing else," Haley told him, frustrated at his refusal to drop the subject. She thought back to the time she'd spent with the dark haired boy over the last few days. She wondered if maybe in different circumstances there could have been something special between them, but in this world she knew they just weren't meant to be. She had to accept that and she needed to start by getting her friend off her back. "I feel bad for him, and you know I try to get along with everyone, but I barely know him. Besides, I would never do anything to hurt you."

Nathan had almost reached the duo, but hearing her words, he stopped where he was and headed back to the kitchen, his shoulders slumping as he handed the bag of ice to Karen. "Could you give this to Haley?"

"Sure," Karen said, looking at the boy in confusion. Just a minute earlier he'd looked hell-bent on getting the ice to the girl as soon as possible.

"I need to go. I forgot I was supposed to be somewhere," he told her, his foot tapping in agitation. He needed to get out of there before he did or said something he'd regret, "Besides, Lucas is here if you need help."

"Okay, do you need the car?"

Nathan shook his head no, "I can walk."

"Are you okay?" Karen reached out to him, her eyes narrowing in concern. It didn't seem like the boy she was coming to know to bail on her during a shift, even when they weren't busy. She figured it must have something to do with Lucas' arrival and while she didn't like it, she didn't blame him either. Lucas hadn't exactly been hospitable since he arrived. Still, something must have happened to send him running and that's clearly what was happening.

"Why wouldn't I be? I just need to get out of here," he answered, his eyes glancing back to the front room and then back to her, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I'll be home by curfew."

Karen nodded and looked down at the bag of ice in her hand as he went out the back door of the cafe, the door banging shut behind him. She made her way to the front to give it to the girl she'd come to think of as a daughter over the years and saw her son hovering over his friend.

"Are you okay?" she asked, noticing the red mark on the side of the girl's face.

"I'm fine. You know me," Haley said, mustering up a chuckle as she accepted the ice and placed it on her cheek, "a klutz to the core. Where did Nathan go? I thought he went to get the ice," she asked, looking around for the dark haired boy.

"He said he had somewhere to be," Karen told her, looking back and forth between the friends and hoping to see a clue as to the source of his behavior.

"He probably just realized you didn't need him now that I'm here," Lucas told his mother, smiling at the idea.

Karen looked at Haley and noticed the girl was worrying her lip between her teeth, "Haley? Do you know anything about where he might have gone?"

Haley shook her head no, and looked up to see the few customers that were in the cafe all staring at them, "I'm sure he'll be fine."

* * *

Nathan was walking toward the Rivercourt when his phone rang. He'd stopped at the house to grab a ball and considered just shooting around there, but ever since he'd seen it the court by the river had called out to him and he figured with Lucas at the Cafe, it was finally his chance. "Hello?"

"Hey Nate, you aren't easy to get a hold of these days," Quentin said, his playful voice coming through the speakers and making his friend smile at the comfort of the sound, "you too busy with your new friends?"

Nathan scoffed, sitting down on the bleachers, "What friends?"

"Come on man, you've been there over a week. It usually takes you less than a day to attach at least a groupie," Q teased him. "You leave your charm here in Virginia?"

"You're a jerk," Nathan told his friend, but couldn't put any strength behind the insult. It was good to hear his best friend's voice. "I haven't met many people."

"Well, fill me in on the what it's like living in style by the ocean," Q said, "I need to live vicariously through you. You spending your time checking out the half naked honeys at the beach?"

"No, I actually haven't even been to the beach yet." Nathan leaned back against the bleacher behind him and related most of what had happened since his arrival, "and now I'm at my favorite place here. It's this cool outdoor court right by the cape. I'm getting ready to get some shots up."

"Good. You better not be slacking off. We have to get that title back," he ordered. They talked about basketball for a little while longer before Quentin changed the subject, "So you like your stepmom?" Q asked, glad that it sounded like Nathan at least liked one of the people he was living with. "She sounds pretty cool."

Nathan paused for a moment, not having actually thought of Karen as anything but Lucas' mom before then, "yeah, she is. I feel bad for her though because Lucas is an ass. He's been treating everyone like crap, like we should all bow down to him or something because he got his feelings hurt. He totally stormed into the cafe earlier and freaked out Haley, causing her to fall and get hurt, then had the nerve to yell at me to get away from her, like it was my fault."

"Wait, who's Haley?" Quentin asked, intrigued at the mention of the girl. "You didn't mention a Haley."

Nathan sighed, realizing his slip up. "She's someone I work...well worked with."

"And?" Q asked, drawing out the word. "Is she hot?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Nathan asked, rolling his eyes. "She's just someone that works for Karen."

"So she is," Q teased, noting his friend's change of subject, "Is she like Brittany Spears hot or Halle Berry hot?"

"Neither...I don't know... she's just her," Nathan whined. "It doesn't matter. She's Lucas' best friend and now that I'm not working at the Cafe anymore, I won't be seeing her anyway."

"But you want to," Q told him, leaning back and putting his feet up on his desk, "I know you man. What's the deal?"

Nathan sighed, "I thought we were becoming friends and it was kind of nice. I'm basically alone here and she's easy to look at and even easier to talk to."

"But?"

Nathan related the conversation he'd overheard, "it doesn't matter anyway. It's not like I'm looking to build any kind of relationships or anything, because I'm only here for 11 more weeks and then I'll just have to leave it all behind."

"So you aren't going to even allow yourself to make casual friends?" Q asked skeptically, "it's not like they have to be lifelong buddies or anything, but at least find some people to hang out with or its going to be a long summer."

"I know. I wish you were here," Nathan told him. "I've never worried about making friends because you've always been with me. It sucks being here totally alone."

"Maybe it'll be good for you," Q told him. "I mean, I love you man, but you need to learn to let people in."

Nathan started to protest and Q cut him off, "besides me."

"Yeah, because that's worked so well for me in the past," Nathan pointed out, remembering when he had been more trusting and a lot less cautious. "Besides, even if I did, I have to leave at the end of the summer."

"Maybe that's a good thing. There isn't as much risk of being hurt or let down if there's a built in end date. I mean, what's the worst that can happen?"

"I get my heart stomped on again?"

"I'm not talking a romance, I know how you feel about that, just make a new friend," Quentin told him. "It'll be good for you."

"I'll think about it," Nathan gave in, "If I meet someone I feel like I could trust."

"Just not this Haley chick," Quentin advised him, his tone suddenly grave. "I know you feel some sort of connection to her, but she sounds like she's more in the heart stomping category. Girls that hot usually are. Besides, her being friends with the ass sounds like more trouble than it's worth."

Nathan chuckled, picking up the ball. "Duly noted. I'll talk to you later Q. Thanks for calling man, I guess I needed to talk more than I realized."

"I've always got your back Nate, you know that," Q told him. "Now get your ass on the court. I don't want no pansy coming back in the fall. You have to keep up with me."

"Don't worry about me, you know I'll be ready."

* * *

"You need to do something," Karen sat down in front of her husband. "I know I said I was okay with this, and I'm trying, but it's getting out of control. I like Nathan. He's a good kid and he deserves a chance to know his father, but having him here is tearing Lucas apart...it's tearing our family apart..." she put her head in her hands, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know how much longer I can handle this. I want my son and my life back."

Dan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew this was coming. His wife had been way more patient and forgiving than he had any reason to expect, but he'd seen how much this was hurting her. "I know, but what am I supposed to do? I can't turn my back on him."

"Have you even made any progress with him? Talked to him?" she asked, her frustration coming to the surface, "I think I know him better than you do so far. Why is he even here if you're not even going to spend time with him?"

"I don't want to push him," Dan stood up, running his fingers through his hair, "He doesn't have to stay here." He walked over and took her hands in his own. "You know how hard it was for me to back off a little and let Lucas live his life, but we became so much closer once I did. I don't want to make the same mistake with Nathan. I'm scared if I push too hard, he'll bolt and I'll never get to know him."

"Well, something has to change," she told him, her hands waving in the air. "Nathan is suffering too. I'm not exactly sure what Lucas did, but Nathan practically ran out of the cafe today and he was visibly upset. This is never going to work if they remain so at odds with each other."

"Lucas and I talked and I think he's going to move back home," Dan told her. "He promised he'd try and keep an open mind..."

Karen smiled at the news, but it quickly dimmed. "Do you think it's a good idea? Will they be okay under the same roof?"

"I hope so. They're brothers, eventually they're going to have to accept that."

* * *

Haley walked up to the Rivercourt, not surprised to find the dark haired Scott playing basketball. For all their differences and animosity, the brothers were remarkably similar in some ways, "You're really good," she said, catching his eye and approaching. "I didn't even realize you knew about this place, but I'd already looked everywhere else I could think of."

"Thanks," he said, stopping and wiping the sweat off his face, "I found it the night...I kind of stumbled on it when I was exploring the town. What are you doing here? I was expecting you to be with Lucas."

"I've been kind of bailing on them recently. They're couples and it can get pretty awkward being the 5th wheel," she admitted, brushing a loose strand of hair back and fixing her ponytail. She needed something to do with her hands and the simple movement helped steady her nerves as she moved to the point of her being there, "I also wanted to make sure you were okay after you disappeared earlier."

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, turning and taking another shot that went through the hoop, rattling the chain. "I just figured I was expendable since the golden boy decided to come back. Besides, it's not like I had some burning desire to work there or anything."

"It seemed like you enjoyed it," Haley said, confused by his attitude. She'd never heard him sound so flippant before. "We worked well together."

Nathan shrugged, "It killed time and I can't have them go out of business because, as you probably know, I need them to pay my way in the fall."

"So that's the only reason you helped?"

"What other reason would there be?" he asked, tilting his head to the side as if looking for another reason. "I'm stuck here for now with a bunch of strangers, some who hate me without even knowing me. It's not some fairytale, but you'll be relieved to know I have no intention of staying. I'll do what I need to and get through the summer, then we can all go back to our regularly scheduled lives."

He took another shot, this one rolling around the rim and falling off. Haley walked over and grabbed the ball, holding it in her hands. "That sounds like a miserable way to live."

Nathan shrugged, "This isn't a vacation. It's more like yet another speed bump on the road of my life."

"What about getting to know your family? Isn't that what your mom wants?" Haley tried, taking a step closer. "Isn't that why she sent you here? She wants you to have the father she kept from you?"

"You don't know anything about my mom," Nathan said, suddenly going from snarky to defensive. "She was trying to take care of me, protect me, like she always has. She's worked herself to the bone my entire for me, but none of it means anything if she isn't going to be here." He walked over to the bench and sat down, "It's killing me to be so far away from her, but if it's what she needs to concentrate on getting better, then I guess that's what I have to do."

Haley paused, surprised by the outburst and unsure what to say. She had a feeling this could be a tipping point between them and didn't want to mess it up. "She sounds like she really loves you and wants you to be happy. Maybe she thinks you need more in your life..."

Nathan seemed to deflate, his anger leaving him. "She's always been whatever I needed her to be. No matter what it cost her. No one can come in and replace that."

"I'm sure she's a great mom," Haley told him, feeling like she was walking on eggshells. She wasn't sure when she would trigger another outburst but wanted so badly to help him in some way. "It's okay to be scared of losing her."

Nathan stood up and picked up the basketball from where she'd set it on the ground. He took a couple of steps and started shooting again and she realized she'd pushed too far. He was ignoring her, but she wasn't ready to give up so she watched for him to miss a shot and when it eventually happened, she grabbed the ball, holding it hostage. "Fine you can just pretend I'm not here if you want. I get it that you don't want to talk anymore, but I do want to be your friend."

Nathan looked at her and she wasn't sure how to read the wide range of emotions that quickly crossed his face. "There's no point. I don't need to make friends. It's not worth it when I'll be leaving soon."

"Who said it was for you? Maybe I need a friend," Haley challenged him.

Nathan laughed, not the contagious laugh she'd heard when they worked together, but a harsh grating sound, "Sure. Only when St. Luke isn't around though right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, that you say we're friends, then you tell Lucas that I mean nothing to you, that you only felt sorry for me and wanted my help," Nathan said, looking her directly in the eyes. "Well I don't need your pity, and if that's what friendship means to you, I don't need it either."

"Nathan, I didn't mean..."

"I'm sure you didn't mean for me to hear it," Nathan held up his hand. "You need to have a backup right? A second Scott in case the other one is busy? Maybe a way to make him jealous?"

"That's not..."

"Just save it okay," he said, picking up his hoodie from the bleachers. He pulled it over his head and the familiar piece of home comforted him . His tone changed from angry to resigned "I think I've heard enough for today. If you still need to talk, why don't you call your best friend? I'm sure he'll come swooping in to save the day. As he so aptly pointed out, you don't need me anymore."


	6. Chapter 6

I was able to get done with my work this week faster than expected so here's the next chapter. Thank you for the reviews and follows. It's great to know the story is appreciated and keeps me writing even when it seems I have no time. I know many of you don't like Lucas in this story and that is intentional. Eventually he will start to come around (I like his relationships with Nathan and Haley too much to not bring them into the story) but for now, just bear with me.

 **CH 6**

It had been several days since her last encounter with Nathan and while work was back to its normal routine, it felt wrong somehow without the dark haired Scott. She didn't realize how seamlessly he'd fit into their little unit until he was gone. She wasn't the only one who missed his effortless charm. Several of the patrons, mostly women, had asked about his absence in recent days and were disappointed he wasn't planning to return to work.

"I swear, he has no life. He's either playing basketball or working out. He never does anything else," Lucas complained as a they cleaned up after the lunch rush. He threw a plate in the bin, hearing it slam against the rest of the dishes and Haley hoped they survived his method of bussing the table. "I mean, I'm glad he stays out of my way, but he could at least do something entertaining every once in a while."

Haley rolled her eyes and wiped off the now clear table, "He's not a pet Luke. Besides, you practice a lot too."

"Yeah, I like to shoot around and play because it's fun, but not 24x7 and I don't enjoy the weight room. It's like he lives in there," Lucas told her. "Now, my dad is getting on me even worse about my training since I'm 'clearly not as dedicated' as he is. He also wants me to start running with them every morning... at 6 am. Why the hell would I want to get up that early to run?"

Haley thought about the muscles that all Nathan's weight training produced and shivered. She looked at Luke's lanky form and felt guilty for the brief thought that maybe Dan was right and he should follow his brother's example. "You know, for someone you supposedly hate, you talk about him a lot. Maybe you should consider the fact that he doesn't know anyone here except us so all he has to do is train."

"Then he should go home," Lucas told her, crossing his arms in frustration, "Why does everyone defend him? You're supposed to be on my side."

"Because he didn't do anything wrong," Haley shouted, rubbing her hands down her face. She looked around and made sure no one was paying attention to their discussion and pulled him off to the side a little more. "How would you feel if you were in his position?"

"I'm not though, because my mother wasn't a slut who got herself knocked up by someone she barely knew," Lucas told her.

Haley gasped and stepped back, bumping into the table behind her in shock. She searched his face and didn't see an ounce of remorse, only hatred burning from his blue eyes. "I can't believe you just said that. I've given you a lot of leeway, because this has been hard on you and I wanted to believe you were at least trying, but I don't even feel like I know you anymore. You've always been a good guy Luke, someone I could trust, but you don't even resemble that guy lately," she told him, shaking her head in dismay. She wiped away a stray tear with the back of her hand and stood up to her full, unimpressive height. "I know what you like to call YOUR BROTHER, but it seems like the only bastard here is you."

She untied her apron and pulled it over her head before balling it up and throwing it at him. She'd never had a good throwing arm, but she was proud to hit him right in the chest with the projectile.

"Tell your mom I'll be back tomorrow. Maybe you'll figure out how to get your head out of your ass by then."

* * *

Haley walked around for a while before deciding to see if Nathan was at the Rivercourt. She wanted to talk to him and with Lucas still at work, she hoped he'd be taking advantage of his absence to enjoy what seemed to be his favorite spot.

She approached quietly, enjoying the view of him playing for awhile. His movements were so fluid and strong. She wasn't a big basketball fan but she had been practically forced to watch enough of the sport to know that he was very talented and probably looked even better on a real court. He was dribbling from one end of the court to the other, dunking the ball before heading in the other direction to do the same. It looked exhausting and she wasn't surprised when after several trips he stopped and took a drink, pulling his shirt up to wipe off the sweat that was now dripping off of him.

She swallowed, her mouth going dry as she saw all the planes and muscles of his chest and six pack. He looked even better than she'd imagined and she fought the urge to run to him and put her hands everywhere his shirt had just travelled. She shook her head as he dropped the cloth back into place, clearing her lustful thoughts and reminding herself she was here to be his friend. Summoning her courage, she took a few more steps and made her presence known. "It's pretty hot out here."

He looked up, narrowing his eyes at her approach but not turning away. "The breeze off the water helps," he said, deciding to go along with the small talk. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

She nodded, "I couldn't stay there anymore. I needed to come apologize for what I said the other day. I was just trying to get Lucas off my back, and I didn't mean for it to sound like it did, but I still shouldn't have said it. I should have just told him the truth."

Nathan raised an eyebrow, "and what is the truth?"

"That we're friends... that I've missed having you around," Haley admitted, taking a few steps closer so she was now looking up at his much taller form. Her eyes roamed his stoic face, looking for some sort of reaction to her words. "I'm sorry I didn't tell him then, but I.."

"It's okay," Nathan told her, holding up his hand to halt her words before it turned into one of her rambles. He paused, looking past her to the water and watching a ship sail by. She wasn't sure if he was waiting for her to speak or just gathering his thoughts, but he finally continued. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gotten so mad. I mean, I expected you to stand up to someone you've known for years and take my side. Like you said, you don't really even know me."

"It feels like I do," she joined him in looking out at the cape for a moment before turning and drawing his eyes to hers. "It seems like I've known you a lot longer than I have and I hope you'll forgive me because I really would like us to be friends."

Nathan looked down into her brown eyes and searched for any traces of deceit, finding none he nodded, "I think I can do that. I know you're in a rough spot."

"I'm still sorry," Haley told him, reaching out taking the ball from his hands. "If it helps, I just totally bit his head off and walked out on him."

"It probably shouldn't, but it does," he laughed, placing his hands on his hips as he watched her attempt to dribble the ball. She slapped at the leather as she attempted to keep it bouncing in front of her and he wondered how anyone could possibly be that bad at something he'd been able to do since he was 3. Shaking off his musings, he looked into her eyes and continued honestly, "I shouldn't have let my temper get the best of me. It's bitten me on the ass more than once. "

Haley nodded, realizing that was one more thing the brothers shared, but she chose to keep those sentiments to herself. Hopefully, they'd start to realize their similarities on their own. For now, she decided just to enjoy the time they had together while they'd seemed to form a truce of sorts.

"I'm glad it didn't bruise much," he told her, gesturing to her cheek.

She automatically reached her hand up to touch the spot that was still a little tender. "Not much. Makeup helps too. Thanks for trying to help, you know after. I know Luke just bullied his way in and took over, but thanks anyway."

She wasn't sure what to say next and instead of letting the awkward moment continue, she moved closer to the basket and tried a short jump shot. The ball clanged off the underside of the rim and bounced straight back at her, causing her to duck. Nathan reached in, his long arms snatching it out of the air before it hit her, and they both laughed at her ineptness.

"You make it look so easy, but still I can't do it. I've seen all of you do it a million times, but when I try, I suddenly feel like my arms are Jell-O or something."

"It's not that hard," he told her, handing the ball back to her.

"Oh yes it is. I've tried this hundreds of times. I'm somehow incapable of making even the easiest shot. I always have been," she told him, her tone matter-of-fact. "It's just a known truth around these parts. The sky is blue, the grass is green, Haley is a klutz and can't play basketball to save her life."

"Come on, I can't believe you're that bad. Even my little brother Andre can make it and he's only 5," Nathan teased her.

"Well that makes me feel better," she laughed, shaking her head at herself. "I didn't know you had any other brothers or sisters."

"Well, he's not technically my brother," Nathan's smile faded a little and his eyes took on a faraway look at his admission, but then the grin returned as he continued. "His mom and mine are best friends and I consider him and his older brother Quentin my brothers since we've grown up together and been so close. He's a great kid. He always follows us around and tries to do whatever we do. We have to be careful to be good examples, because we're his heroes and he wants to be just like us. It drives Q crazy sometimes, but I think it's cool. I've never had any real brothers or sisters..." he trailed off, taking a shot and grabbing the ball back as it fell through the net. He realized how far away from his original intention he had strayed and pulled back to the topic at hand. "Anyway, if he can make it, I'm sure you can. You've just never had the right teacher."

He put the ball on his hand and showed her the right way to position her arm before extending it and shooting it through the hoop. "Now you try," he said, moving next to her and handing her the ball. "Square your shoulders and hold it like this," he said, demonstrating the arm motion again.

She moved her arms in an attempt to copy his motion and the ball only went a few feet in the air before falling. He grabbed it and returned, stepping behind her this time. "Okay, let me help," he said. He had to bend his knees to get down to her level and found his chest brushing her back as he reached around to position her arm. She was surprisingly toned for a girl who considered herself totally unathletic, and she smelled like something from the cafe... vanilla or hazelnut...something they'd put in one of the fancy coffees they sold. He leaned in closer to her hair and tried to place the exact scent.

"What's next?" she asked, startling him and drawing his attention back to their lesson.

"Um, now keep your elbow in," he told her, shaking his head to clear it. He placed his hands on her hips, "Bend your knees, relax your hips, and shoot."

She took a deep breath, shaking off the strange energy that seemed to flow from his hands, and followed his directions, squealing in surprise when the ball actually landed on the rim and fell through.

"Oh," she gasped, turning around and throwing her arms around his waist in excitement, her head briefly leaning against his hard chest before she pulled back slightly to look up at him, "I actually made it, that was so awesome. Thank you."

Nathan stumbled back in surprise at the feel of her in his arms, but quickly regained his balance and hugged her back, "I knew you could. You just had to believe it too."

"Did Haley James just make a jump shot?" a voice behind them said, causing them to pull apart self-consciously. "Either I'm seeing things or you must be a miracle worker dude. That is one task we've all tried and failed at."

"Hey, Skills," Haley chuckled, stepping toward her friend. She gestured between the two guys as she introduced them, "This is Nathan. Nathan, this is Antwon, but everyone calls him Skills."

"Cuz I got mad skills both on and off the court," he winked playfully, his dark eyes twinkling in fun as he , stepped toward the taller boy. "I heard you play."

Nathan shrugged, returning the playful mood, "I do alright."

Haley rolled her eyes at his humble statement. "He's awesome," she told her friend, blushing when Nathan turned to her with an amused grin. "What? You are and you know it."

Nathan laughed at her jumping to his defense, conceding the point before turning to the other boy. "I'm pretty good. You here by yourself?"

"Nah, a couple more of our friends are coming. You should play with us," he offered. "I'd like to see some of this awesomeness."

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Nathan said, rubbing the back of his neck as he considered the offer. He'd love to play, but he'd seen the guy in front of him before and knew this group of guys were probably the ones he'd seen there with Lucas. He wasn't sure he was ready to stir up that hornet's nest just for a few minutes of play.

"You worried about getting schooled?" Junk, one of the missing friends, asked as he approached from behind. The shorter boy didn't look much like an athlete but Nathan knew from watching earlier the guy could play.

Nathan let out a choked laugh at the suggestion. He wasn't as cocky as Quentin or some of their other teammates, but he knew these guys weren't at his level. "Um, no offense, but no. I've just been doing my best to stay out of Lucas' path. Makes it easier on everyone. The last thing I need is to get into a fight with him."

"Well Lucas is being an ass to pretty much everyone," Skills said, grabbing the ball and tossing it to him, "so why don't you stop worrying about him, and take his spot in our game tonight. We're odd since he's trying to make up with his girl and Jake's out of town."

Nathan looked over at Haley who gave him an encouraging nod. He looked at the three guys standing on the court ready to play and couldn't resist the chance to play an actual game for the first time since he arrived in Tree Hill, "Okay, why not?"

* * *

"Damn, where'd you learn a move like that?" Fergie asked, catching the ball as it went through the net. He bent over, trying to catch his breath before adding, "That was crazy."

"There was a guy I played with last year that taught me. It's a little easier for him because he's 6ft9, but I've managed to adapt it," Nathan explained. "I could try to teach you guys, but..."

"No way could I do that, even in my dreams," Junk laughed, high-fiving his teammate. "I'm glad you're on my team man."

Haley sat in the bleachers and watched them play, a task she'd done hundreds of times over the years, but never enjoyed as much. She cheered as Junk threw up an alley-oop that Nathan jumped up and slammed down, sending her a smirk as he landed. He made everything look so effortless and she knew the other guys were as much in awe of his skill as she was. Lucas was good and they'd gotten used to him beating them with his jumpshot, but Nathan could beat you in a variety of ways. He was as good of an outside shooter as Lucas, but could drive and dunk, using his jumping ability and extra height to make his shots nearly unguardable.

"Damn, basketball does run in the Scott family," Skills said, calling for a break as Nathan made another long jumper. They walked over to the side and Fergie passed out bottles of water, each of them quiet for a moment as they took a drink and cooled down a little. It had been an especially hot June so far in North Carolina and the humidity was in the 90s even as evening approached. Everyone was sweating, their clothes looking darker than the normal color of the material.

"So, I know who taught Luke, but who taught you to play?" Skills asked the younger Scott. "That shot of yours is a work of art man."

Nathan winced at the mention of his father, but he was feeling good and decided to answer, "My best friend Q's dad taught us when we were pretty little. He played four years at Kentucky and probably could have played professionally overseas, but they were about to have Quentin so he decided to stay here and raise him instead. He let me tag along and taught me everything right alongside Q. Kentucky offered both of us scholarships, so we plan on following in his footsteps and playing there together next year."

"That's cool," Skills said, "you got the IN with any other scouts so you could hook a brother up? I'd love to play somewhere, but we were 10-14 last year. Ain't nobody coming to scout players on a team like that. "

"I don't know that I have any INS," Nathan laughed, "but I'd be happy to put in a good word for you if I get a chance."

Skill nodded once in appreciation and then checked the ball. "I guess I have even more motivation to school you then."

Nathan grinned confidently as he bent his knees and got into a defensive stance, feeling the thrill of the game and knowing this was what he was born to do, "Bring it on."

* * *

"He's not bad," Lucas said, taking a seat next to his friend. "He could use his legs a little more on his shot."

"What are you doing here?" Haley asked, surprised at the intrusion. She'd been watching the game so closely that she hadn't even noticed his appearance next to her.

"Apparently you're not the only one pissed at me. Peyton told me off and went home so I decided to come here. I didn't expect to see this," he told her, picking up a branch that had made its way onto the seat and chucking it off into the grass. "Apparently, everyone is turning on me."

Haley started to say something but he cut her off. "Don't worry, I don't intend to cause another scene. According to my girlfriend, if I don't stop being a dick, I won't have any friends left."

"Well, that's not exactly how I'd put it, but she's not wrong," Haley admitted, looking back toward the court. She could feel her friend staring at her, but she wasn't sure what to say to him. She'd never felt this kind of distance from him and she hated it, but even if she was hadn't been becoming friends with Nathan, she wouldn't condone the way he'd been acting and he didn't seem interested in changing. She couldn't help but wonder what it would take to bridge the gap that was forming between them and hoped he'd make a decision to start working on it soon.

"You here with him?" Lucas asked, gesturing with his head toward the court. Haley saw Nathan throw a behind the back pass, his smile wide as it connected with Junk for a layup. They high-fived each other and she realized it was the happiest she'd ever seen him. He always put on a happy face, as though the world couldn't touch him, but this was different. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning. Haley looked back at the boy next to her, her face unreadable as he continued, "You obviously didn't come here for me."

"I needed to apologize," she told him simply, looking back at the court before adding, "Frankly so do you."

"It's taking everything I've got just to be in the same area with him and not lose it," Lucas told her honestly, "don't count on anything more."

Haley nodded, disappointed but not surprised at his answer. She was about to say something when Fergie noticed the addition to the scene. "Hey Luke, you come to play?"

Nathan turned, noticing the newcomer for the first time and was disappointed to see him sitting so close to the girl in the stands. His hands balled into fists and he had to force himself to relax. Haley was friends with both of them and he had to accept that or he'd lose the only friend he'd made. Of course, that didn't make it any easier to see them sitting sitting so close they were practically touching

"I'm good. It'll mess up teams," Lucas yelled out, staying in his seat. "Go ahead without me."

"Nah," Skills piped up, "you and Nate can be on the same team against us 3."

Fergie hit his friend upside the head, "what are you thinking bro?" he said quietly, "You can't put them on the same team."

"Because they'll kill us?" Skills asked.

"Because they'll probably kill each other," Junk added, joining the little tête-à-tête.

"Why do you think I put them on the same team? You want them going against each other?"

Fergie looked at him, his eyes going wide at the scenarios that could bring up, none of them pleasant, "Good point, we can handle losing."

"Come on," they said louder. "The more the merrier."

Haley looked at Nathan, trying to read his reaction. He looked like he wanted to take off and get as far away as possible, but was so far standing his ground. She knew it wasn't the ideal situation for him, but thought maybe working together on something they both enjoyed would help get the rest of their lives jumpstarted. He looked at her and could tell she was hoping he'd go along with it. He closed his eyes, dropping his shoulders and she knew in that moment he'd decided to give in, "Okay, I'm in," he said, drawing a smile from her lips.

"I guess I am too," Lucas said, pulling off his dress shirt and making his way down onto the court. "We start with the ball since we only have 2?"

"No way," Skills said, laughing at the suggestion. "With you two on the same team, we should get it every time, but we'll settle for first."

Skills checked the ball to Lucas and then inbounded it to Junk. He was quickly guarded by Nathan and passed the ball crosscourt to Fergie who scored an easy layup. "We're playing a man down. You have to rotate to the ball," Nathan told the blonde.

Lucas ignored the comment and took the ball out up top, dribbling it down the lane with two defenders on him, cutting off his path. Nathan cut to the basket and was wide open for the reverse, but Lucas forced up a contested runner that clanged off the rim and was rebounded by Junk who took it to the top of the key. This pattern continued for another 10 minutes, with Nathan doing everything he could and Lucas being unwilling to help or pass to his teammate.

Nathan took it up top and this time, instead of passing it as he had been, he took the long jump shot and drilled it. "If you're going to ball hog, that's the way you do it," he said, turning and getting in defensive position.

Lucas scowled, moving to play defense as well. Skills checked the ball, shooting his teammates a worried glance before inbounding it to Junk who was quickly guarded by Lucas. Junk tried to drive but Lucas bodied him up and tripped him, taking the ball as he fell and scoring it.

Nathan shook his head as he walked over and helped the downed player get up. "You okay?" he asked the shorter boy. "Sorry about that, I guess he forgot we're playing for fun."

"You have something to say to me?" Lucas asked, taking a step toward the other boy.

"You need..." Nathan started to say something but looked at the others surrounding him and shook his head, heading to the bleachers. "Never mind. Thanks for the game guys, but I'm going to call it a night."

"I guess you're a coward too," Lucas shouted, causing Nathan to stop walking. "I should have figured that. You must take after your mom since she was too embarrassed to tell us about you."

Nathan turned and started to walk back onto the court. "You can say whatever you want about me, you can even push me around, but leave my mom out of it. You don't even deserve to lick her boots. You're just a spoiled bully who pitches a fit if he doesn't get his way. If you're half as selfish during the season as I've seen from you so far, it's no wonder your team sucks."

Lucas took two quick steps toward him and swung at Nathan's head. Nathan ducked, avoiding the blow but was unprepared for the shoulder to the abdomen as Lucas followed the punch by tackling him. The two boys took turns hitting each other until finally the other boys were able to pull them apart. "I knew you weren't half as good as you were pretending to be. My parents are going to kick your ass out when they hear about this."

"That's fine with me. It's not like I enjoy putting up with your rich boy antics," Nathan told him, wiping blood off his lip. "I never wanted to be here anyway."

"Of course, you want to go back to your ritzy private school," Lucas fought back, blood dripping from his nose. "Your school costs 20k a year and I'm spoiled?"

"I went on scholarship you dick," Nathan spat back, "I could've never afforded it otherwise. I spent most of my life worried if we were going to have water or electricity the next day, not if I was going to have to share my mansion. So yeah you're spoiled."

He looked around and realized that all of the others were staring at him and shook off the hands still loosely holding him back. "I'm out of here." He grabbed his sweatshirt off the bleachers and started walking away.

"Nathan," Haley yelled, going after his retreating form. "Nathan," she tried again, knowing if he didn't willingly let her catch him, it would never happen. "Please wait."

He slowed down and allowed her shorter legs to catch up. "I'm not going to apologize," he told her, holding up his bruised hand and then dropping it when he saw the telltale marks. "He deserved everything he got and more."

"I know," she said, surprising him into stopping completely. "I'm the one that's sorry. He should have never said those things."

Nathan looked up at the sky, remembering his comments, "sometimes we all say things we shouldn't. I knew better and I let him bait me."

"Why don't you come home with me?"

"What?" Nathan asked his head snapping to the side, assuming he heard her wrong. There was no way she had just asked what he'd thought she had.

"It's not far out of your way and I want to take a look at those cuts," she told him, gesturing to his face. "It's my fault for not stepping in sooner. I could see it was getting out of hand."

"We're big boys and that's been coming since I got here," Nathan told her, knowing it was the truth. Lucas had been spoiling for a fight from the first moment and although Nathan had tried to take the high road, there was only so much he could put up with before he fought back. "I don't think you could have stopped it if you'd tried."

"Well it would still make me feel better if I took a look at the results. The cut on your lip looks pretty bad," Haley said, moving closer and picking up his hand. "These need cleaned too."

"What about Lucas?"

"What about him?" she shrugged, starting to walk again. "As you pointed out, he's a big boy."

Nathan grinned, the movement causing him to wince as his lip started bleeding again, "Well okay then. I guess if it'll make you feel better, we'll do it your way."

* * *

Lucas barged into his father's office, interrupting his phone call. "I need to talk to you."

Dan made his excuses and got off the phone quickly, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Nathan," Lucas said, angrily dropping into a chair in front of the desk. "We had a difference of opinion and the bastard hit me."

Dan leaned back in his chair and examined his son. He'd wondered when it would come to this. Frankly, he was impressed with Nathan's patience. He would have never held out so long before he snapped. "And what did you do to cause this?"

"You're going to blame me?" Lucas asked in surprise, "You barely even know him and you're taking his side?"

"I don't have to know him," Dan told his son, shifting to lean forward. "I know you and how you feel about him. Your recent actions haven't exactly led me to believe you'd suddenly be the one taking the high road. "

Lucas stared at his father, then leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "You said that his grandparents had money. You said he was rich."

"I said his mother grew up with money," Dan told him, not sure where the conversation was heading, "but once I actually talked to him, I found out that she was cut off without a dime when she told them she was pregnant. Apparently, she's been working 2-3 jobs at a time most of his life just to keep them afloat, but despite how hard it must have been, she never asked me for anything until now. He's our blood Lucas, your only brother, and I've let him down his whole life. I don't understand how you can be so against just getting to know him when it costs you so little."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"I couldn't tell you because you weren't willing to listen to anything that dented your self-righteous anger," Dan told him. "And I can't blame you for being angry. I screwed up, big time, but you shouldn't blame Nathan or his mom for any of it. They did nothing wrong, either of them. He's worked his tail off to earn everything he has. It's no wonder he doesn't want to give it up, especially with the reception he's had."

"So he really was on scholarship?" Lucas asked, sitting on the edge of the chair and putting his hands through his hair.

Dan nodded, "and he must be damn good to get one to that school."

"He is," Lucas admitted. He didn't like the guy and he didn't want him in his house, but he sure as hell respected the way he played the game. "I just played with him, or well, on the same court anyway. "

"Is that why you look like you went a few rounds with Mike Tyson?"

"That came after, when I said some things I probably shouldn't have," he admitted, putting his head in his hands. "I not only fought with him but I've managed to thoroughly tick all my friends off too. In fact, they may not even be my friends at this point"

Dan nodded, having heard rumblings to that effect from his wife. "I know you feel threatened by him," he started, glaring at his son when he tried to argue, "but there's no reason to. He couldn't ever replace you or how I feel about you."

Lucas's mouth turned down in a scowl. "Look, I'm not asking you to become his best friend," Dan continued, "although I have to admit that would be nice, but your mother and I raised you better than to treat anyone the way you've been doing lately. If you won't do it for anyone else, do it for her. This whole thing has been harder on her than you know."

* * *

"Oww," Nathan said, jerking his arm away from her. "I thought you were just cleaning it."

"Stop being a baby," she told him, working on a scrape on the back of his shoulder. "There are some little pieces of rock and dirt in it so I don't want it to get infected. Put that ice back on your lip."

Nathan frowned but did as he was told, looking around the kitchen as she worked with tweezers. "I like your house."

Haley smiled, removing another tiny piece of gravel, and trying to keep her breathing under control. If she'd have realized the effect his shirtless body would have on the steadiness of her hands, she'd have told him to leave it on. She looked around the kitchen with its chipped countertop and limited counter-space, "It's not exactly fancy, but it works for us. I know the Scott house is way nicer."

"No, I like this," Nathan told her, his eyes looking over the same area but seeing a space where family gathered together. "It's more comfortable here. It feels like a real home."

"Well you might not feel that way if all my brothers and sisters were here. Then it feels more like a madhouse."

"You have siblings?" he asked, turning to look at her. She'd talked about her friends and her parents a little, but hadn't mentioned any brothers or sisters. He wondered where they were since it seemed they had the house to themselves.

"Yep, six of them. My mom had a girl, then three boys, then three more girls. The oldest three are married, then comes my only single brother Matt, then I have two sisters in college and I'm the baby."

"Wow," Nathan's eyes were as wide as saucers, "I can't even imagine a family like that. It must be..."

"Crazy? Insane?"

"I was going to say nice. It's always just been me and my mom and even when I spent time with Quentin and his family, it was really small," Nathan told her. "You're lucky."

"Yeah," Haley smiled, setting the tweezers to the side and grabbing a bandage, "I guess I am."

"What do we have here?" a woman's voice asked, coming into the kitchen through the back door, her arms full of grocery bags.

"Mom?" Haley asked in surprise, stepping away from the shirtless boy in front of her, "I didn't think you'd be home until tomorrow."

"I can see that," Lydia James said, setting down her things and moving toward the pair of teens. "And you must be Nathan?" she asked the startled boy in front of her, holding out her arms for a hug.

"Um, yeah," he answered, looking over at Haley for help. "Haley is helping me out."

"I can't blame her," Lydia said, taking in the half naked boy in front of her. She noticed his discomfort and decided to let the hug pass, although she was sure she'd have enjoyed it, "I keep telling her sisters not to worry about her. I'm glad to see I was right. They always say she's going to be a virgin forever..."

"MOM," Haley drew out the syllable, grabbing her mother's arm and dragging her into the other room.

"What Haley Bob?" Lydia asked, peeking back around the corner where the boy was scrambling to get his shirt back on. She smiled at his nervousness. "He's a babe. I always knew you'd end up with the best looking guy of all you girls..."

"MOM!" Haley cut her off again, putting her fingers to her lips. "Stop it. He and Luke got in a fight and I brought him here to help him get cleaned up. That's all it is."

"You're taking care of him when he fought with your best friend?" Lydia asked in surprise, her full attention now on her daughter. "That's not just a little thing darlin'. How long was I gone anyway?"

"Apparently not long enough," Haley muttered. She loved her mother to death, but she more often than not acted like a sister rather than the matriarch when it came to relationships, cheering them on and wanting to know all the juiciest gossip. She had more than once flirted with guys her daughters' age and she embarrassed them constantly. Still, they weren't sure what they'd do without her and missed her terribly when her parents went on their trips in their RV.

Haley gathered her composure, not wanting her mother to realize she was rattled. If her mother saw a crack in her story, she'd be in for more teasing and she'd probably end up spilling all her complicated feelings. She wasn't even sure how she felt, but she was sure she wasn't ready to share any of it yet. "It's a long story, but the gist of it is Luke's been acting like an ass and Nathan and I have become friends."

"Sure... friends," Lydia teased. "I wish I'd had friends like you do when I was in high school. I really could have benefited from that," she laughed. "One light, one dark...both yummy..."

Haley groaned, "I swear sometimes, it's like I'm the adult. We aren't benefiting. I don't think of him in that way and even if I did, he's not interested. He doesn't date."

Lydia searched her daughters eyes, "maybe he just hasn't met the right girl. Guys often change their minds you know. Especially when they meet girls like you."

Haley rolled her eyes, wanting the conversation to be over. Nathan must be wondering what the heck was going on for her to be gone so long, "He's pretty set on it. Besides, it would be a disaster. Not only do he and Luke hate each other, but he lives in another state most of the time. It's best if we just stay friends."

"Fine. If that's how you really feel," Lydia put her hands up to show she was backing off and headed toward the staircase. She turned on the first stair, looking at the pictures on the wall of her offspring, "but it's a shame. You and that boy would sure make some fine looking babies."

Haley shook her head and entered the kitchen to find it empty except for a note on the table. She read the simple thank you and smiled at the slanted scratchy text that seemed so appropriate for him. Turning off the light, she walked back into the living room, examining the same family pictures as she went. It seemed like ever since Vivian had given her the first grandchild 3 years ago, that's all her mother ever thought about anymore. It was a crazy thing to be mentioning, she thought as she followed her mother up the stairs. They were just friends. Still, she was unable to stop the image of a little boy with her blonde hair and Nathan's smile and twinkling blue eyes.

 **Note** : I know the basketball scene is cliche, but it's just so quintessential Naley that I couldn't help myself. I loved the scene on the show and it seemed to fit so perfect here.


	7. Chapter 7

I got an unexpected day off so here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Ch 7

"So do you like him?" Brooke sat on Haley's bed, crossing one leg over the other. She'd heard the stories from her friends, but without being there she didn't know what to make of her best friend's actions. "I mean, you basically chose him over Lucas so there must be something there."

"I wish everyone would stop saying that. That's not how it happened," Haley huffed, standing in front of her mirror and combing out her long hair. She'd been constantly questioned about her decision since the night she made it. In fact, Lucas hadn't even talked to her for two days he was so upset with her. She probably should have known it would be viewed as her making a choice, but in the moment, she couldn't let her friend leave hurt and upset without knowing someone cared. Luke had plenty of people to do that for him. "He's my friend and after how Lucas was acting, I thought he needed someone to be there for him."

"That still doesn't answer my question," Brooke pressed on, trying to get her friend to admit that she felt something more than friendship for the younger Scott. She would never have thought it would happen, but now that she was happy in her relationship, she'd become something of a matchmaker. She wanted everyone to feel the way she did and she was sure that Haley felt a lot more than she was admitting for the raven haired hottie.

"I already told you he doesn't date and after what happened with Alex, I don't think I'm ready to either," Haley walked over and sat next to her friend. She leaned her head on Brooke's shoulder in a sign of weariness. The whole situation was really getting to her and she needed a relaxing night to just read and watch some tv. No drama, no problems, just peace and quiet. "We really are just friends and I'm fine with that. I promise."

"Okay," Brooke gave in, sensing her friend's need to put it aside for the moment. "I'll leave it alone...for now. So you're coming tonight, right? What are you wearing?"

Haley groaned, falling back onto the bed so she was laying down, "Do I have to? You know I'm not a partier and you guys always end up ditching me to make out. I end up surrounded by drunk guys who think they're a lot funnier than they really are. I'd rather stay home and watch 'The Office'."

"Oh no you don't," Brooke said, standing up and walking to her friend's closet, moving items around and looking for something that didn't look like it'd been bought at a garage sale. How she ended up with a best friend who had such different taste in fashion sometimes surprised even her. She waded through a million t-shirts and a poncho in frustration. She knew she'd convinced her friend to buy at least a few things that were party appropriate and she needed to find them.

"You are coming to the party," she insisted. "Lucas is throwing it and you know he'll be upset if you aren't there. He'll see it as another way you're turning away from him and you two haven't even totally made up from last time."

"I don't know why he's even having a party," Haley groaned, sitting back up and watching her friend dig through her things. "What's to celebrate, him being a jerk?"

"He promised to work on that," Brooke argued, although even she wasn't sure it would actually work out that way. She knew he meant what he said, but if something happened to rile him up, she doubted his vow would hold firm.

Haley raised her eyebrows "Sure. I love him, but I'll believe it when I see it."

"I know he's said it before, but I think he might actually mean it this time."

"Then I will get to witness it some other time," Haley said, defying her friend by putting on a baggy Duke sweatshirt. "I'm really tired and I just want to stay here. I don't have the energy to pretend I'm having fun."

Brooke turned and crossed her arms over her chest in a pout. "It won't be the same without you there."

"After the first 15 minutes, you'll most likely be tipsy and won't know the difference," Haley maintained. She pulled her legs up to sit Indian style on the bed, "You don't need me."

"I hate Alex," Brooke grumbled, feeling like she was losing the battle to get her friend to rejoin the land of the living. "You haven't been any fun since the two of you broke up."

"There's been a lot going on since then," Haley told her. "Alex isn't the only reason I don't want..."

"Yeah right. He might have been a jerk, but at least you went out when you were dating. Now... Oh" Brooke squealed suddenly, her face lighting up in excitement. She hurried over to her friend, taking her hands in her own.

"I have a really great idea. You could bring Nathan. Just as friends of course. Then you wouldn't have to worry about being alone and I could still have my best friend with me. Besides, you know Alex is probably going to be there and it'll kill him to see you with someone that sexy."

"I don't know, doesn't that seem a little desperate?" Haley asked her friend hesitantly. She hated the way her heart rate sped up at the idea when she knew nothing could come of it. Besides, she wasn't sure it was a good move for any of them to put the brothers in such close proximity. "I don't want to use him to make some other guy jealous. Besides, I know Luke promised to treat him better, but it might be too soon to test it out with a bunch of people around."

"Actually, I think he's less likely to cause a scene with others there. He doesn't want everyone else to think he's an ass too," Brooke reasoned. "Come on, you haven't been out with us for a long time and you said Nate's pretty much been staying holed up in his room. It'll be good for both of you.."

"You really want me to invite Nathan to Luke's party without asking him?" Haley asked, shaking her head in dismay. "It could end up spectacularly bad. Besides, even if I agreed, there's no way he'd be willing to go."

Brooke rolled her eyes, walking o back over to Haley's closet. "Come on, if I can convince him to come, will you?"

Haley toyed with the drawstring on her shorts for a moment as she considered her choice. She wasn't sure if Lucas and Nathan could get along for an entire evening, but admitted if they could, she would enjoy spending the time with her friends and getting to know the newest one even better. Besides, she knew Brooke wouldn't give up badgering her to come whether he joined them or not. "Okay. But you better not pester or threaten him into coming. It has to be his decision."

"Would I do something so underhanded?" Brooke feigned innocence, tossing a short, black halter dress on the bed before adding a pair of strappy high heels. "Okay, I would, but I won't have to. You better wear that and be ready at 8. We're going to have a great time tonight, even if I have to tape Lucas' mouth shut to make it happen."

* * *

Nathan returned to his room after taking a long, hot shower. He had to admit, one of his favorite things about living in the Scott house was the amazing shower. Their apartment back home had terrible water pressure, and barely any hot water, but here he could stand under the punishing spray as long as he wanted. It felt especially good after hours of working out and straining his muscles in the weight room.

That morning Dan had talked to him about taking him back to visit his mom. Of course he wanted that, but another almost 6 hour trip each way alone with the man didn't sound overly appealing. He knew his father was hoping to use it as a bonding time and it wasn't something he was exactly looking forward to. Thinking about making a deal with the devil to be able to see his mom had left him working his body even harder than normal and it had taken a while to loosen his sore muscles.

He stretched again as he wiped himself down and then ran his hands through his hair, noticing he needed a haircut. His normally short hair was starting to stick up. Quentin's mom usually cut it for him so he needed to either grow it out or find someone else to do it for him. Neither option sounded overly appealing.

He was sliding on a clean pair of black basketball shorts when there was a knock on his door. He wondered which of the three family members had decided to invade his sanctuary and considered pretending to be asleep, but looking at the clock he figured 7:30 was a little unrealistic even for an early riser like him. He groaned, hoping whoever it was, their interruption would be short.

He padded over to the door and opened it, surprised to find a pretty brunette on the other side. "Um, I think you have the wrong room. I'm assuming you're here for Lucas."

"Nope, I'm here for you sexy," the girl smiled, her dimples flashing. "Damn, you look even better up close. Haley so owes me," she said, pushing past him into the room and looking around. "Not much for decorating are you?"

"Not much point in it when I won't be here long," he answered, still unsure of who this girl was who had invaded his private space. "Can I ask what you're doing here?"

"Sorry," she flipped her hair back over her shoulder, giving the impression that she didn't really mean it. She was dressed in a red low cut top and a black mini- skirt. There was not a hint of shyness despite where she was and he figured she'd been in more than a few guy's bedrooms in her lifetime. He couldn't blame the guys though, she was beautiful and she knew it. She sashayed over to the mirror and pulled out a tube of lipstick and fixed her make-up. "I'm Brooke Davis. I'm a friend of both Lucas and Haley."

Nathan nodded, understanding her connection as Haley had talked about her, but still wary of why she was here with him. She turned and looked at him directly, "A few of us are going down to the Scott beach house to party tonight."

"Okay, what does that have to do with me?" Nathan asked, hoping he was wrong about where she was going with this. He had no interest in hanging out with Lucas and his friends, even though the ones he'd met so far had seemed pretty cool.

"I was hoping you would take come with us..."

"Not a chance."

Brooke's eyes widened in surprise at his firm response. "Really?"

Nathan started to laugh, "you're inviting me to a party where I know I'm not welcome, and you expect me to just blindly follow you there? Do I look stupid to you? You'll have to find some other sucker to play with tonight, I'm not interested."

Brooke's eyes narrowed. She didn't think he would agree to come right away, but most teenage boys would be quickly swayed by a pretty girl and the word party. She hadn't expected him to be so vehemently against her suggestion. She paused for a moment, thinking about what she knew about him. It crossed her mind that he'd jumped in and helped both Haley and Karen when they needed it and she decided to play this from a different angle.

"Look, I'm really here because of Haley. Ever since her boyfriend broke up with her, she's been spending most of her time up in her room and barely coming out except to work. She needs to get out and have fun so she can get over the jerk. It would really help her to start feeling better if she had a night with all her best friends, but she doesn't want to go without a date and she's still kind of leery of guys. Besides, her ex will probably be there with his new girl and after what he did to her, it would be great if she had a hot guy with her that she could rub in his face, especially one that she already feels comfortable with."

"I don't know, the last time I pretended to be her boyfriend, things didn't go so well," Nathan told the brunette, grabbing a black t-shirt off his dresser and pulling it over his head. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"You don't have to go that far, just walk in with her, hang out with her a little. That should be enough," Brooke promised. "Come on, you can get out of the house, meet some new people, and help Haley at the same time. Did I mention free drinks? What do you have to lose?"

"My sanity? Maybe my temper? I think you're forgetting where the party is being held," Nathan pointed out, sitting on the edge of his bed. He could think of a million reasons why this was a bad idea and although he knew he would enjoy spending the night with Haley, they greatly outnumbered that motivation.

"He's promised to be on his best behavior, so unless you can't handle it, I don't see a problem," Brooke argued. She was hoping he was competitive enough to take the almost dare.

Nathan closed his eyes and leaned his head back before letting out a deep breath. If this girl was right and Haley needed him, he'd should be there. He owed her. Besides, he could never back down from a challenge and she was right, if Lucas could handle it, so could he. "Fine. I'll come for a little while, but if this turns out horribly, it's on you."

* * *

Nathan walked into the Scott beach house with an air of resignation. He knew it was bad idea to be here and yet he'd caved anyway. He could tell himself it was for Haley, and while that was certainly true, he also had to admit he wanted to see the place and prove something to himself. He couldn't imagine having a huge house like this that just sat there empty until you felt like using it for something as silly as a high school party. Just the thought of all the wasted expense made him grind his teeth.

Haley noticed Nathan's jaw set and could only imagine what he must be thinking as he walked into the opulent great room. The Scott house was nice, but the beach house was incredible. She reached out and linked their hands together, her small one fitting surprisingly well within his much larger, stronger one. "It's just a house."

He looked down at her gratefully and squeezed her hand in thanks. It was like he could feel peace spreading from that point and he couldn't help but wonder at how easily she could read and comfort him. Tonight she looked amazing in a mid-thigh length black dress that was totally opposite of everything he'd seen her wear before then. It covered everything and yet showed it off at the same time. He swore his jaw had hit the floor when he'd first seen her and he was pretty sure he had yet to fully recover. He knew he was probably treading on shaky ground by getting close to her, but couldn't seem to help himself. He knew he couldn't let himself fall for her, yet the desire to spend time with her and at least be friends was too strong to be pushed aside.

They stood around for awhile, Nathan mostly just listening as Haley chatted with her friends. For someone who proclaimed herself a nerd, she certainly had a lot of them and from what he could tell, they were from all over the typical social status levels. Not many people could pull that off. She was having a good time and while she tried to include him, it mostly just made him miss his own friends.

Eventually, Brooke and Julian left to find their other friends, but Haley held back. She spotted Lucas across the room, Peyton sitting on his lap. The two blondes both had drinks in their hands and if she had to guess by their actions, they weren't their first ones of the night. Brooke and Julian were walking toward them, but Haley decided to delay the inevitable and led Nathan to the kitchen instead of following.

"What's your poison?" she asked him, gesturing to the assortment of alcohol on the table. "I'm going to do a rum and coke, mostly coke. You?"

"That sounds good to me," he answered, looking around him at the crowded rooms full of teens he'd never met. Some were already deep into their drinking for their night and their actions were clearly displaying their inebriation. He looked at his watch, noticing it wasn't even 10 and a girl in the other room was already so trashed she could barely stand. A group in the next room was playing beer pong while other groups were dancing. He couldn't believe there were so many people in one house.

Haley was a little surprised at his choice of drink, but didn't ask, pouring them both and handing him his. Most of the guys she knew would have asked for something stronger, or a beer like most of her friends, but she was glad that she most likely wouldn't be the only one sober as the evening wore on. "You want to go join the others?"

He shook his head, looking out the patio doors to the deck and beach beyond, "I'd rather go for a walk."

Haley went to the doorway and scanned the room for Brooke who was in a group with Julian and some of the other cheerleaders. Catching her eye, she gestured to the doors and then she and Nathan made their way outside.

"Brooke and Julian are...interesting," Nathan stepped out onto the deck, looking out at the ocean in the distance. "He's not exactly who I expected to see her with."

"You mean he's a nerd," Haley laughed, "it's okay to say it. We nerds stick together."

"You are not a nerd," Nathan protested, unable to see her fit that stereotype.

"I haven't missed a day of school since I had chicken pox when I was 8, I have a perfect GPA, and I tutor for fun. I'm pretty sure I qualify, although unlike Julian, I drew the line at being a Mathlete."

Nathan laughed, "okay, I guess you are a nerd. What the heck is a mathlete?"

Haley explained the competition and Nathan just shook his head, "How did they end up together? I would have expected her to end up with someone like..."

"Lucas? They actually dated for a while our sophomore year and that's when we got to be friends," Haley explained, leaning against the rail and thinking back to when she had been thrown together with a girl she had at the time thought was stuck up and a bit too promiscuous. "They broke up after a few months, but by then we were good enough friends that what happened between them didn't stop us girls from staying close. Eventually they found a way to being friends as well, and as strange as it all sounds, we all hang out together now."

Nathan took in that information, knowing that there must be a lot more to it than the simple terms she'd laid it out in, but accepting it at face value for the moment.

"He's dating Peyton now." He'd seen the blonde girl Lucas was paired with tonight and assumed she was the girl she was referring to. She was pretty, but she had an edge to her that made him wary. Plus, the fact that she was dating his current nemesis made him want to avoid her. "I don't know her as well, but I like her so far. "

The two talked for a little while longer, enjoying getting to know each other better. Haley told him some crazy stories about her siblings and he related some of the things he and Quentin had gotten themselves involved in as children.

"Is that Alex?" Nathan asked suddenly, stepping closer to her and putting his hands on her waist.

"Hmm? What?" Haley asked, surprised by his actions and a little tongue tied at being so close to him. She looked up, truly realizing for the first time just how big he was compared to her. Even in her low heels, not the high ones Brooke picked that would have had her falling on her face, she only came to his shoulder and his arms looked almost as big as her waist. She shook her head to clear it, her voice coming out raspy as she asked, "Alex?"

"Is that him", he gestured with his head to a couple further down the deck, "The guy that broke your heart?"

Haley turned her head and looked, quickly returning her gaze to Nathan. "How did you know about him?"

"Brooke told me. I figured it was the same creep because he's with a girl that can't keep her hands off him, but he's been staring at you ever since we got out here. It was a pretty easy guess," he explained, "Unless he's actually looking at me and then this just got even more awkward."

Haley laughed as he'd hoped she would. He'd noticed her face when he mentioned the other boy and knew she wasn't happy to see him, in fact, she'd looked a little lost. "He's a fool."

She tilted her head in question and he continued. "If he dumped you for her, then he's a fool. Girls like that are a dime a dozen." He took the last step and put his arms around her shoulders, bringing her against his chest. "If he hasn't figured that out, he doesn't deserve you."

"Thank you, but it's not that simple," Haley told him, her hands fisting in the black shirt he wore as she tried to hold her emotions in check. She'd already wasted too much time and energy on that failed relationship. "He didn't break my heart. In fact, I broke up with him."

Nathan pulled back, his head tilting to the side in confusion, "but Brooke said..."

"Brooke is trying to protect me, as usual." Haley reluctantly stepped out of his arms and turned back to the ocean, wiping away a few tears that managed to escape. "She probably wanted you to feel sorry for me, but it was my fault. If I'd just been like other girls, we'd have been fine, but I wasn't ready and he wasn't willing to wait. He said he had needs and if I wasn't going to help him then he'd have to move on to someone more mature, someone who didn't still act like a child. I called him a few names, told him to leave, and he did. I guess he went to her house the same night."

Nathan's hands balled into fists and his eyes filled with anger as he fought the urge to walk over and beat the crap out of the guy still watching them. Haley noticed his poor reaction and took it the wrong way, "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this. I have no idea what made me start babbling about something you obviously don't want to know about. It's too personal, I shouldn't have..."

"No," he told her, pulling her back against his chest, this time pressing their bodies fully together as he held her tight, "that's not it at all. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me, but I want to kill the ass for making you doubt yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. You're more mature than most people I know and he's the one acting childish. If he can't respect your feelings, he's not only a fool, he's an idiot."

He held her for a couple more minutes before pulling back to look her in the eyes, "What did Lucas say when you told him?"

"Are you kidding?" Haley asked, recoiling in horror, "I didn't tell him anything. I was hurt and upset, but I don't want the guy's death on my conscience. He would have killed him. He didn't even like that we were dating in the first place."

Nathan nodded, for the first time feeling like he had something other than DNA and basketball in common with his half-sibling. "I wouldn't blame him. I haven't known you nearly as long and I feel the same way."

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid," Haley asked, grabbing his arm, "I don't want you to go after him or even talk to him. I just want to pretend it never happened."

"Haley..."

"Please Nathan," she begged him, "I don't want to make this even worse. People have already been treating me strangely since it happened. I don't want this to blow up into something bigger. It's no one else's business. Please, don't do hit him."

Nathan gave in and nodded his head in affirmation, "but I don't like it."

"Thank you," she told him, going up on her tip toes and kissing him on the cheek. "I'm so glad to have you as a friend."

"Yeah," he told her, his face tingling where she'd left her mark, "me too."

* * *

"Nathan Scott," he heard as a manicured hand suddenly trailed over his shoulder and down his arm, "You are a hard guy to get close to. I've been trying all night."

"And you are?" he asked, surprised by her brazenness. Brooke had been bold and confident, but this girl was totally sure of herself and her appeal. He could tell she was used to getting exactly what she wanted and at the moment that seemed to be him. She was wearing what he figured was supposed to be a shirt, but looked more like a bra, with a skirt that barely covered the essentials. Her red hair was loose, trailing over her shoulders and onto his arm as she made sure he got a prime view of her assets.

"I'm Rachel," she purred, sliding a slice of lime into her mouth and sucking on it. "I'm sure you've been hoping to meet me."

"I don't think so," he responded, knowing his response would irk her, but not particularly in the mood to be polite. He'd dealt with girls like her before, usually ones that wanted the basketball star in their bed for bragging rights. He had no interest in playing her game and hoped Haley would be back downstairs soon so he could get away without making a scene . It always amazed him how long it could take a girl in a bathroom. "I might have seen you tonight at some point, but there are a lot of drunk, half-naked girls here so I could be confusing you with someone else."

"Playing hard to get is usually my job, but I'll bite," she cooed, stepping closer and trailing her finger down his chest, "If you like."

"Listen, I'm not interested. The only reason I'm not walking away is because I promised Haley I'd wait for her here," he crossed his arms over his chest. "You can either walk away, or I can start talking louder so everyone hears you being turned down."

"What the hell does every boy see in Haley f-ing James. She's got you all wrapped around her little finger and you don't even realize it," she sneered, her seductive tone dropping and leaving one full of spite. "I want to warn you though, Lucas had her first."

Nathan shook his head, knowing that it wasn't true. She was trying to push his buttons and must have realized that Lucas was his most obvious sore spot. "Jealousy isn't a good look," he told her, stepping away and turning his back. He had no interest in staying near the redhead and decided to go to see what was taking Haley so long. As he headed the top of the stairs he heard someone talking, "you think you can deny me, but give it to the bastard Scott?"

"We're just friends," Haley's voice came through clearly, wavering slightly but still strong.

"Yeah, and I'm a monk. You two were practically having sex out on the deck and everyone saw it. You have no idea how many people came up to me and made sure I knew about it," he continued, his voice angry and slightly slurred, "as if I didn't see it myself. You're such a tease, getting me all turned on and then telling me to stop. I bet you don't stop him. You've probably been with his brother too. There's no way all of you are just friends..."

Nathan heard the sound of a smack and assumed Haley had let him have it. He silently cheered her on as he reached the top, "Stop it. That's not true and you know it. You've just had too much to drink. Go home and sleep it off," Haley told the other person. "I'll try to forget you ever said any of this."

He looked down the hallway in both directions before following the sounds. "No, you aren't going to just forget about me and go screw him. I put up with your teasing for months, and now I'm going to get what you've been giving him," the voice said and he heard Haley gasp and then a thud and muffled scream.

He started trying doors and finally the third one opened, "Get the hell away from her." Haley's eyes went wide as she saw him approach and the guy turned just in time for Nathan to grab the front of his shirt and throw him to the floor. He scrambled across the floor as Nathan reached her side.

"Are you okay?" he asked her pulling her to his chest, his hands rubbing up and down her back as she leaned against him, her body shaking.

"I never thought he would do something like that," she said, wiping at her welling eyes.

"What's going on?" Brooke asked, rushing to the door. "I saw Alex running down the steps and Rachel said you were both up here. I had to come see what the hell was happening."

"I want to know too," Lucas said, stepping in behind Brooke and noticing the pair had yet to separate.

"Haley can explain," Nathan said, stepping back and tilting up her chin to look in her eyes and make sure she was okay. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

He started to leave the room, but Lucas grabbed him by the arm, "you don't get to just take off while she's obviously upset. What did you do? Why is her dress torn?"

"I didn't do anything, but I'm going after the person who did, so let me go," Nathan said angrily, pulling away from the blonde's grasp.

Lucas looked over at Haley who was now sitting on the edge of the bed with Brooke, "Alex?" Nathan nodded in confirmation, "I'm coming with you."

The two boys took off, racing down the hall and then the stairs. Lucas stopped to ask if anyone had seen him while Nathan quickly used his height to scan the rooms. Eventually, Lucas was told he had left and they took off toward the front where people had parked. They split up, one going in each direction in hopes that he hadn't yet been able to leave. The cars were a mess, many of them blocking in others and if they were lucky, he would still be stuck there and unable to flee.

Nathan searched, finally finding the boy sitting in his car, blocked in as they'd hoped. He opened the door and pulled him out, flailing and protesting the entire time as Nathan placed his forearm against his neck.

"I found him," he shouted, letting Lucas know his whereabouts. The blonde quickly approached, his face as full of anger as Nathan knew his own must be. "Unfortunately, I promised Haley I wouldn't hit him."

Alex smiled in relief, assuming that meant he was safe from the physical beating he'd feared so desperately a moment earlier. He released a deep breath of relief as Nathan loosened his hold slightly.

"Of course, you didn't promise any such thing and I didn't make any promises about helping you," he told his brother. "Haley would probably even encourage us to work together."

Lucas looked at him and couldn't help but smile at the trick he'd just played on the now terrified boy in his grasp. "But you said...I'm sorry, okay. I had too much to drink and I... I swear, I wouldn't have hurt her. You know how girls can be, coming onto you one moment and then changing their minds..."

"I heard you threatening her," Nathan told him, pressing harder again as the boy gasped, trying to get enough air, "it didn't sure didn't sound like she was interested in you at all. How does it feel to be helpless? To know that someone bigger and stronger could do anything they want to you? I wonder if that's what she felt like when you put your filthy hands on her?"

"How do you think Haley felt when someone she trusted turned on her?" Lucas asked, punching Alex in the stomach. Nathan released the boy as he bent over in pain, sliding to the ground next to his car and curling into a ball. "Are you scared now? Not so much fun with someone your own size is it?"

* * *

Haley was pacing back and forth in the upstairs bedroom, "I want to know what's going on." She'd gone from being angry to scared, to hurt, and then back to angry.

"Nathan and Lucas will take care of it," Brooke told her, trying to calm her down. "He won't get away with treating you like that."

"I don't care, I'm going out there. I want him to know he didn't beat me," Haley said, heading toward the door. "I need to."

Brooke moved to stop her and Haley tried to push by her, "Let me go."

Brooke stepped aside, following her out the door. "This could get ugly."

break

"That's enough guys," Peyton said, coming up next to them and seeing the guy writhing on the ground. "Haley is okay and she wouldn't want you two getting yourselves arrested."

Nathan and Lucas looked at each other, their common disgust for the cowering boy in front of them giving them the first real sense of commonality they'd found. "So we just let him go after what he did? What he tried to do?" Nathan asked. "I don't think..."

Nathan looked toward the house and saw people starting to congregate on the stairs to watch and noticed Haley making her way through the crowd. She had her head held high and he was proud that she had already pulled herself together. She didn't look like the scared girl he'd left upstairs but a firey, angry woman bent on revenge.

She marched over to the group, Brooke trying to keep up with her in her high heels, and walked up to them. Alex scrambled to his feet, "I'm sorry..." he said, not getting any further than that before she surprised them all by punching him in the face.

"Don't ever touch me again," she told him, shaking her hand in pain. "I can't believe I wasted my time with you. If you can't control yourself, it's not my fault. It's yours.

She turned around and Lucas held out his arms, surprised when she went to Nathan instead, "Please get him out of here."

Lucas looked upset at the unintended snub but stepped forward anyway, "get going..."

"but my car..."

"You can walk," Peyton said, holding onto her boyfriend's arm. "You'll be a lot safer than staying here."

Nathan watched as the boy started his trek and then turned to look down at the girl in his arms. She'd surprised him with her strength and he was proud that she'd took a stand.

"Nathan."

He stopped at the sound, but didn't turn. He didn't want to deal with Lucas right then when he was feeling the need to make sure Haley was truly okay.

"Thank you...for being there for her...I...thanks," Lucas managed awkwardly.

Nathan nodded in acknowledgement and turned his head to watch as they walked away. "You okay?"

She nodded, stepping back, suddenly embarrassed by her behavior. "Thank you. I don't know how much he would have tried if you didn't come when you did."

"Only scum would try to take advantage of a female, especially one they claimed to care about," he told her, pulling his polo off over his head and offering it to her, "How's the hand?"

"Sore," she admitted, pulling on the shirt. They both chuckled a little as it fell down past the hem of her dress.

"Let's go back inside," Brooke said, startling them both. They hadn't even realized she'd stayed behind when Lucas and Peyton left. She wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder and led her back to the house, "That's why we stand by and let the guys handle things like that."

Haley shrugged, "I felt like I needed to do it. I needed him to know that I would stand up for myself. I'm not sure if I would have been able to stop him if Nathan hadn't gotten there, but I sure as hell would have tried."

"Do you think he really would have tried...um...you know?" Brooke asked and the trailing Nathan leaned forward to hear her answer. He'd felt like his heart stopped when he found the guy with his hands on her and the look of fear in her eyes had gripped at his chest. He didn't ever want to see anyone he cared about with that look in their eyes ever again.

"I don't know...I hope not, because that means I have even worse judgment when it comes to guys than I thought. Fortunately Nathan got there and I didn't have to find out."

"I think I'll call you Hero Boy from now on," Brooke teased, reaching out to grab his arm as he moved along side them. She squeezed his bicep, "mmm, you definitely fit the part."

Nathan moved to Haley's other side and leaned in to whisper, "is she always like this?"

"Pretty much," Haley half smiled. "Before Julian, she was even worse. You should feel lucky she likes you. One of our classmates she nicknamed Rach-Ho."

"And she totally deserved it, the slut," Brooke leaned in, "I caught her trying to seduce Julian during their tutoring session. I'm totally the only one who's allowed to do that."

Haley laughed and Nathan smiled at the sound, "you going to be okay?"

"Yeah," she said, "but I think I'd like to go home now."

"I'll go get Julian," Brooke said, heading up the stairs to the house.

Nathan sat on the bottom of the stairs and Haley sat next to him, her arms wrapping around herself. Despite the extra shirt she still wore, she found she couldn't get warm. He pulled her against his side, trying to share his body heat and wishing he'd brought a hoodie or something he could share with her instead, "is there ever a gathering in Tree Hill that doesn't involve a fist-fight?"

"Apparently not since you got here," she chuckled, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'm really sorry about your mom, but I'm glad you came to Tree Hill. I know it sounds weird, but sometimes it feels like you were always supposed to be here."


	8. Chapter 8

We had a snow day yesterday so I got some writing done! I not only got this chapter done, but I was able to start working a little on the Hold sequel. I hope to start posting chapters for that in January.

 **Ch 8**

Nathan sat in the front pew with his elbows on his knees and his head bent. After the events of the last couple of weeks he felt the need to get his thoughts in order and as he passed the old church he felt like he was being called to enter. He wasn't sure what he believed about God, though he could honestly say he always felt much calmer and stronger after the time spent meditating there. He'd gone to church a few times with Quentin's family and they'd been required to go to Sunday services at school, but he had as many questions as he did answers. That morning though, he needed any comfort he could get.

He got up to leave quietly and was still thinking deeply when he almost ran into another man just entering.

"Nathan Scott?" the man asked in surprise. He hadn't known the young man he'd heard so much about would be exiting the quiet church that afternoon. "I certainly didn't expect to see you here."

"I was lighting a candle for my mom," he told the older man, startled by being recognized by someone he was pretty sure he hadn't seen before. He still hadn't gotten used to the way everyone knew everyone in the small town, "I don't think we've met..."

"Oh sorry, I'm used to everybody knowing who I am around here," the man said, extending his hand. "Coach Durham or Whitey as most people here know me. I coach the basketball team."

"It's nice to meet you," Nathan told him, shaking his hand, "but if you're trying to recruit me, I won't be here in the fall."

"So I heard," Whitey said, taking off his hat and shaking his head. "It's a shame too. We could really use a player like you. You're not only talented, but you know how to win and be a star while still playing team ball. I'm having a rough time convincing some of my players those things have to go together."

Nathan narrowed his eyes in confusion, "you've seen me play?"

"Only once, and that was a total coincidence. I'm a basketball fan, I have been my whole life, no matter who is playing. Last year, I was visiting a friend and I had the chance to watch you in the National Semis. At the time, I had no idea you were related to the Scotts here of course. Anyway, I was really impressed with your play. I think you had a triple-double that night."

"27 points, 12 assists, and 14 boards. That was a great game. Unfortunately, the next one didn't go as well for us," Nathan remembered. They had gone into the final game of the season on a 56 game winning streak that had gone all the way back to the previous year in which they'd won the National title. They'd begun to think they were invincible and as usually happens when a team gets too confident and doesn't take their opponent seriously enough, they ended up being upset by two points. He'd had a chance to make a long three pointer to win the game and he'd missed, ending their season on a sour note. "I still sometimes wake up in a cold sweat and remember that last shot clanging off the rim. We were an inch away from repeating as champions, if I could have closed the deal."

"It happens to the best of them. I saw the replay and that was an awfully tough shot," Whitey told him, moving to sit on a nearby bench and gesturing for the younger man to join him. "Of course, there's an awful lot of pressure to be perfect when you play for a team like that."

Nathan nodded, finding it surprisingly easy to talk to the older man. "There is, I guess, but it's never really bothered me. I mean, I'm competitive as hell and I want to win as much as anyone, but I've had a lot worse things to worry about than the results of a basketball game. Sometimes you have to keep things in perspective."

He liked his coaches at Oak Hill, but they weren't people he'd expect to just stand around talking to. They were paid to win and that's what they did, at an astronomical rate. They gave orders and the players listened, that was basically the extent of their interaction. This man seemed like a father, or grandfather, and Nathan wished he'd had someone like that to play for. He'd missed having someone in that mentoring role. Patrick had tried admirably to fill in as a father figure the last few years, but he didn't even watch basketball and that had always left their relationship shallower than it could have otherwise been. Plus, Nathan was away at school most of the time, usually only visiting home once a month and during summer.

Whitey gave a half smile of understanding, assuming the boy had meant his mother's health issues. He'd only heard the basics, but it was enough to know the boy had been travelling down a tough road that currently had no end in sight. "So how's it going living in that house? I know Dan and Lucas both pretty well and they aren't always the easiest to get along with. They're not bad guys, they just tend to have a hard time seeing past how things affect them."

"Dan seems okay. Better than I expected actually, but Lucas and I haven't gotten off to a great start. He can't stand me and I can't say I'm overly fond of him either. Mostly, I just try to avoid him whenever possible," Nathan told the man. "Karen has been great though. In a lot of ways, she reminds me of my mom. I feel bad sometimes because I know this has been hard on her. I've heard her crying more than once when she doesn't know anyone can hear."

"It sounds like her to hold in her pain and try to make the best of what she's been dealt. I've known that girl since she was a kid and I've always thought the world of her," Whitey told him. "She's a good person to have on your side. As for Lucas, just hang in there. He'll come around. I believe everything happens for a reason, even if we can't see it at that moment."

Nathan nodded, "my mom's best friend says that all the time. I just wish I at last had a clue what that reason was. I sure hope it's good enough to keep my away for what could be my mom's last summer."

"She must think it is or you wouldn't be here," Whitey said, clapping his hand on the younger man's back. "I want you to know that I'm always available if you need someone to talk to. My wife died of cancer and was sick for a long time preceding that, so I understand more than most people what you're going through."

"Thanks," Nathan told him honestly, feeling better in many ways than he had when he'd entered the church. "I really appreciate that."

Whitey smiled a sad smile as Nathan turned to walk away. "Oh, and Nathan? I don't know what any of our futures hold, but if you ever want it, there will always be a spot for you on any team I coach."

* * *

"Hey," Haley said as Nathan walked into the cafe and took a seat at the counter. "You recovered from last night?"

"That's what I came to ask you," he said, reaching out and gently grabbing her hand. "The hand looks mostly recovered, how 'bout the rest of you?"

"I iced it like you said," she told him, disappearing for a moment and coming back with a slice of apple pie, "it really helped."

"Did you make this?" he asked, surprised that she'd remembered his comment about the dessert from weeks ago.

"Karen asked if I had anything special I'd like her to make," she shrugged, fiddling with the napkin in front of her, "I was planning to bring you a piece later as a thank you."

"You don't have to thank me Hales," he told her. "Anyone else would have done the same."

"Maybe," she admitted, tucking her hair behind her ear, "but you actually did. If you hadn't come looking for me, things could be a whole lot different right now."

"Which are?" Nathan asked, not willing to let her change the subject.

Haley paused for a moment, fiddling with a button on her shirt, "I'm okay. Brooke stayed with me last night and that helped a lot. I was a little nervous about going to sleep, but it was fine. No nightmares or anything. I think getting to punch him helped," she looked down at her red, bruised hand, "it made me feel like less of a victim, you know?"

"I'm glad," he told her, "and that Brooke is such a good friend."

"She tried to convince me to stay home today, but I couldn't bail on Karen. Besides, it's nice to be busy and not think about it," she told him, busying herself with making him a coffee. She'd been honest about how she felt, but still she'd had a nervous energy all day.

"And I come and bring it up...Sorry," he told her.

"It's okay. Anything new with you?"

"Actually, Dan is taking me to see my mom tomorrow," Nathan took a bite of his pie, closing his eyes and savoring the flavor before continuing, "Mmmm, you were right, this is really good."

"Okay, and?" Haley asked, "aren't you excited? I know how much you've missed her."

"I am...really, it's just I'm not sure about the drive. Dan and I are so awkward around each other and 6 hours is a long time to be forced in such confined space," Nathan explained. "Last time, it seemed like an eternity and this time I'm afraid he'll expect me to talk more."

"What's wrong with that?" Haley asked, leaning against the counter, "it'll be a good chance for you to get to know each other."

Nathan took another bite and chewed it slowly, using the time to decide how much to tell her. "I'm not sure I'm ready to talk like that with him. I know he's been trying, but it's hard to just get over it. I mean, my mom and I really struggled...and all that time I accepted that it had to be that way because he was dead. Then I find out he was here living the high life the whole time and it just...it's hard to forgive him for not being there for us."

"I don't want to overstep, but you're pushing him away because of something that isn't really his fault. Isn't that a little bit like what Lucas is doing to you?"

"At least I'm not calling him names and treating him like crap all the time," Nathan defended himself. "I know you're his friend, but how can you defend what he's been doing?"

"I'm not," Haley said, holding her hands up in front of her, "I've even told him what an ass he's been. I'm just saying, you've not really given Dan a chance either."

Nathan leaned back in his chair, the taste of his favorite pie turning to dust in his mouth, "Okay...I get it, but I'm not sure I can. It feels so easy to sit and talk to you, but when I'm with him, it's like there's a giant vise around my chest and I can't breathe. It might sound stupid, but it's the way I feel. I'm not sure I can just change that, or that I even want to."

"Maybe you really aren't ready," Haley told him, reaching out to touch his hand, "and Dan will have to accept that. I just think that if you're willing to try, it might be worth it."

"What are you, my friend or my shrink?" Nathan asked, trying to get the conversation back on more neutral ground. She'd given him some things to think about, but he wasn't ready to talk about the subject any further.

"Hey, whatever you need," she smiled softly.

He took another bite of the pie and she turned to help another customer as they came to the counter. He wondered if maybe she was right and he should at least try and fill Dan in on some of the things he'd missed. He didn't have to get into anything emotional, but maybe at least tell him a few stories or something. He was relatively sure he could satisfy Dan by talking to him about normal, everyday stuff. He wouldn't have to break down the wall he'd erected to protect himself. After all, that wall had saved him plenty of times before.

* * *

Dan sat across the table from his wife, an awkward silence filling the air as they ate their dinner. "Are you sure you're okay with me taking him tomorrow?" he finally asked. "I know it's probably not your first choice of ways for me to spend time with him, but he's turned down just about every other offer I've made."

"I'm the one that said you had to do something," she told him, pushing her food around more than actually eating it. "Are you worried?"

"I'm a little nervous about seeing his mother again. It's been over 17 years since I saw her and we've been unknowingly connected this whole time. It's sure to be awkward at best," he told her, "but I feel like it's something that I need to do. Not just because of Nathan, but because I have a lot of questions and I cared about her once."

"Did you love her?" Karen asked, all pretenses at eating set aside.

Dan paused, putting down his fork, "I told you years ago..."

"I know what you said," Karen cut him off, "but you also failed to mention a son, so excuse me for being a little worried."

Nathan approached the dining room, wanting to ask Dan a question about their trip the next day, but pausing as he heard the topic of conversation.

"She was a nice girl and I liked her a lot. I probably could have even fallen for her if I'd let myself, but no matter how far I ran, my heart was still with you," he picked up his glass of wine and took a long drink. "I know I hurt both of you, and I will totally take responsibility for that, but no. I wasn't in love with her."

"Does it make me a bad person that I wish you'd never met her?" Karen asked, her voice scratchy from unshed tears. "I know it sounds horrible to say, but so much of the pain that she and I have both gone through could have been avoided if you'd stayed here and we hadn't broken up. All of our lives would be so different. She wouldn't have been cut off by her family, she'd probably have gotten her degree, and we wouldn't be facing this situation, this pain right now."

"And Nathan wouldn't exist," Dan added, "is that where you're going with this?"

"It would certainly be easier," Karen answered honestly.

Nathan backed away from the doorway. He knew the facts of his birth and what it had cost his mother, but she'd always assured him that she'd do exactly the same thing over again because he was worth everything she'd lost. He'd never once doubted her sincerity or how much she loved him, but listening to someone else, someone he'd come to like and even trust wish he'd never been born was a lot harder to take than he'd expected. It also made him question the truth of his mothers words. Did she really have no regrets, or did she tell him what he wanted to hear because it was too late to go back.

He detoured to the back door and left the house instead of going up to his room. He needed to talk to someone, someone who would just listen and not judge. He considered calling Q, his usual go to if it was something he couldn't talk to his mom about, but he would get mad on Nathan's behalf and want to come down here and help him fight his battles. That wasn't what he needed right then. He just needed...comfort.

He had been walking around town for over an hour and decided he'd just deal with it himself, as he usually did, when he realized where he'd ended up. Looking up the drive, he saw Haley's house and noticed a light on in one of the upstairs windows. He hesitated, but decided to see if she could talk. If anyone could help him make sense of the situation and help him to get past it, it would be her.

* * *

"You don't really mean you wish Nathan were never born?" Dan asked in surprise, his heart breaking a little, "because I know it's been hard, but I can't feel that way. No matter how he came about, he's my son and I love him."

Karen sighed, "I know. I can understand why his mother has been so attached to him all these years. I guess I'm just throwing a pity party for myself. It really hurt me all those years ago that you slept with someone else, but I forgave you and I never thought it would come up again. Now, I'm not only adjusting to the fact that it was a real relationship and not just a one night stand as I'd always thought, but I'm facing the results of that relationship every day in a son that looks just like you. The second child you always wanted and I wasn't able to give you."

"I've never held that against you," Dan told her, coming around the table to her side. "I was perfectly happy to have Lucas and that was enough for me. The two of you were, but now I do have another son and I can't turn my back on him. He deserves so much better."

Karen leaned against his chest and he placed his arm around her. "I know, and he's a good kid. He's strong and kind and really easy to like, but I can't blame Lucas for being hurt and angry. Right now, he's the person I have to put first."

"And that's exactly how it should be. I don't blame you for feeling that way. You were right, I need to try harder to build a relationships with both boys and I need to work on getting them to know each other too," he ran his finger alongside her face. "We'll get through this."

"I hope so," she whispered against his neck, "I really do."

Karen looked up and saw Lucas crossing to the stairs, "I need to do something I've been putting off too," she told her husband. "Lucas," she yelled, drawing the boy's attention. "We need to talk."

* * *

Nathan knocked on the window that he really hoped was Haley's. He was pretty sure he'd seen her walk past it a few minutes ago while he was debating the wisdom of climbing the tree without knowing what kind of reception he'd receive or if it was even the right one. With that confirmation, he'd thrown caution to the wind and he now found himself sitting on a thin branch waiting for her to react to his knock.

"What are you doing out there?" she asked, sliding the window open, "come in before you break your neck."

He awkwardly climbed through the window, tripping and almost falling on his face. It never looked nearly as difficult when they did it on tv and he laughed at the absurdity of the moment as he rose to his feet. "I am way too tall to be doing that."

"You could have just come to the door," she laughed, closing the window as he moved from in front of it. "My parents wouldn't care."

Nathan shrugged, "I wasn't sure." He turned awkwardly, moving to look at the pictures on the wall. "Your brothers and sisters?"

"And their kids," she told him, sitting on the end of her bed and patting the spot next to her, "but I'm sure that's not what you came to talk about."

"I'm thinking about going home," Nathan saw her gesture, but decided not to follow. He needed to maintain some space between them if he was going to manage to talk to her logically. He reached to the side instead, turning her desk chair around and sitting on it backwards.

"I'm confused. I thought you already planned to go tomorrow," she leaned forward. "That was the plan, right?"

He braced his elbows on the back of the chair, "I mean to stay. I never should have come to Tree Hill. I shouldn't be away from my mom and I'm just screwing up other people's lives by being here. It wasn't supposed to be this messy."

"What about school?"

"I'll find a way to get the money and if I can't, I can go to the local public school. The coach has begged me to come for years. It's not nearly as good of a program, but I don't think it would change Kentucky's mind about my scholarship. I'd be okay."

"But that's not what you want," she reached out and put her hand on his arm, "what's bringing this on?"

"I miss my mom," he told her. "I miss my life. I tried it like my mom asked, but it just isn't working out."

She stood up and paced the room, knowing there had to be another reason for his change of heart. She'd thought he'd come to terms with being there and he'd seemed like he was even willing to try opening up to his father. Something had to have happened to cause this sudden insecurity and late night visit.

"Is it Lucas?" she asked, stopping to turn toward him. "What did he do now?"

"He didn't do anything this time. I'm just tired of being a burden on everyone," he told her, looking down at his hands. He hated dumping things on her, but she'd told him several times that he should come to her if he needed to talk and he did, more than ever. "It seems that no matter what I do, how hard I try, that's what I end up being. At least when I'm at school no one has to take care of me or worry about me."

"I'm sure your mom still worries about you," Haley told him. "I've been told that's what they do."

"Maybe, but at least she can focus on herself and her life for once. She's already given up so much for me and now I'm seeing the same thing happen here. Everyone's lives are worse since I came," he ran his fingers through his hair, "I can't wait until I go to college and I can be on my own, support myself. "

"Okay," Haley said, "I don't agree with that."

"With what? Who isn't worse off?" Nathan asked, "Lucas is miserable and fighting with all his friends who are therefore unhappy. Karen has been upset and now she and Dan are arguing about me, you're getting mauled because you were with me..."

Haley walked over and knelt down in front of him, reaching for his hands and drawing his eyes up to meet hers. "None of that is your fault. You didn't do anything wrong and you saved me from him..."

Nathan stared into her eyes for a moment, feeling like he was going to fall into their deep brown depths. She licked her lips and he felt himself start to tilt his head forward before he snapped out of the trance like state and pulled away to stand. "It might not be my fault, but the results are the same. Everyone would be better off if I went back home. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have bothered you with this. I already knew what the right decision was before I came. I guess I just wanted to talk to you...I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye"

She stood and took a step toward him, "Nathan, please don't..."

"Thank you," he told her earnestly, opening the door to leave. "I needed a friend and you have been a good one."

He turned and she rushed forward, grabbing his arm before he could fully exit. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him, "I'm glad you came here to Tree Hill and to me tonight. I hope you'll reconsider. I can't speak for anyone else, but my life is better from having known you."

"I'm glad Haley James," he smiled softly. "I think I can safely say the same about you."

* * *

Lucas looked at the clock on the nightstand, 12:03am. He'd been laying there staring at the clock, thinking about what he'd talked about with his mom. It galled him to admit it, but he had come close to being in the same position as his father only one year earlier. Brooke had come to him with news that she thought she was pregnant, shortly after she had caught him cheating on her with Peyton and broken up with him. It wasn't the same situation as his father's, but if Brooke had actually been pregnant, he could have been put in a similar position. His mother had asked him what he would have wanted if he found out years later that Brooke had in fact had a child of his that he'd never known about . He knew he would want the chance to be a part of that kid's life and suddenly he was a lot more sympathetic to his father's decision and even to the child, in this case his brother, that hadn't had anything to do with the original situation. She'd also, much to his dismay, admitted she'd overheard what he'd said about Nathan's mother in the cafe a few days earlier. After a thorough scolding, she'd told him that Deb and Dan had been going out for over a month before they'd slept together. It had been something that he had confessed earlier in their marriage and had come very close to tearing them apart, but they'd still loved each other and had Lucas on the way so they had instead gone to counseling. By the time he'd arrived, they'd made it through the worst of it and had been able to be a family.

He had given up considering what to do about his new insight and was almost to sleep when his phone started to ring. He reached for it blindly in the dark before finally locating it and answering, "This better be good Hales, I have to be up at freaking 5:30 so I can run in the morning and it's been an exhausting night."

"Get your butt over here now Luke. Nathan is planning on going back home and I need you to find a way to fix it," Haley told him.

"Haley," Lucas said, rubbing his hands down his face, "if that's what he wants, it's his decision to make..."

"I don't think it is," she said, pacing back and forth across her room, her phone pinned between her shoulder and her ear as she gestured wildly in frustration. "Something happened to make him feel like he doesn't have a choice. I don't know what it is, but we need to try and convince him to stay. If we let him leave like this, we're all going to regret it."

Lucas thought back to the conversation he'd had with his mother and what he'd promised her before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Ok, I'll be there in 10."


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you for the reviews. I always look forward to seeing how each chapter is received and what you think is going to happen/ideas for what you want to happen. I will fully admit that sometimes it does influence future chapters, especially if I see that the character isn't coming across as I mean for them to. That said, the extra reviews for this past chapter spurred me to get another chapter done a little faster, so enjoy.

 **Ch 9**

Lucas wiped the sleep from his eyes as he slowly made his way into the kitchen. He was having trouble moving one foot in front of the other and was dreading even a short run. He couldn't believe he'd even made it out of bed when the alarm went off so soon after he fell asleep. _How had he let himself be talked into this?_

He knew he was going to have to talk to Nathan, his mother and Haley had both made it painfully clear that he really didn't have much of a choice, and while he understood their reasons, it wouldn't make the conversation any easier on him.

He looked up to find that Nathan was already in the room with his running clothes on, and he was both nervous and relieved to see that he was alone, drinking a glass of juice and selecting an apple off the counter. He searched his mind for something to say to break the silence, "How do you do this every day? It's still dark out there."

Nathan was startled by the sound, almost spilling his drink in surprise. He looked up to see his brother and then turned back to the bowl of fruit, dismissing his presence, "I guess I'm just used to it."

Nathan hadn't looked at the blonde for long, but it was enough to notice that he looked like he'd never even made it to bed. His shirt was wrinkled, his hair was a mess, and his eyes were bloodshot. He'd probably been out partying. Despite all that, he was there and although he didn't want to, he was a little impressed that the boy had kept his promise despite his obvious exhaustion and probable hangover.

Lucas walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a Gatorade before chugging a good portion of it. He set it on the island and ventured again, "I am definitely not a morning person."

Nathan grunted in response. He was a little annoyed that his brother was finally making an effort at conversation after all this time, but figured it wouldn't kill him to maintain civility if the older boy was willing to try, "When I was little, my mom woke me up early every day to drop me at the sitter's before work. It became a habit."

"Well I'm pretty sure I got less than 3 hours of sleep so if I pass out during the run, you'll know why," Lucas told him, stretching his arms over his head and then down to his feet. His vague attempts at conversation so far had been rebuffed and he decided to just bring up the topic he'd wanted to discuss, "I...uh... heard you might not be coming back after your visit..."

Nathan frowned. Lucas hadn't been as hostile since their little encounter with Alex a couple nights earlier, but he hadn't been exactly friendly either. In fact, this was the closest the two of them had come to having a real conversation and Nathan was disappointed to realize it was prompted by his decision to leave. It clearly wasn't as hard for Lucas to be nice when he was getting what he wanted.

He turned his back to the other boy, hoping that would be the end to the exchange. Dan should be down any minute and they would get their run in before making the long drive to Blacksburg, Virginia. If he was lucky, which admittedly was rare, he'd never have to talk with the guy in front of him again. He figured he should probably feel some guilt over feeling that way, but while he'd had some doubts about leaving, Lucas didn't play into any of them. In fact, he was probably the biggest reason to leave.

"So is that true?"

Nathan shoulders slumped as the other boy persisted. He turned to face his brother, "It's better for everyone. Don't pretend it doesn't make your day. None of you want me here."

"I know I haven't exactly been welcoming," Lucas said, narrowing his eyes as his brother scoffed, almost choking on his juice at the understatement.

"Okay, I've been a total jerk," he continued. He could see that Nathan wasn't going to make this easy on him and while he knew he probably deserved it, he couldn't help but be irritated. He considered backing out, It wasn't like he wanted to be saying any of this, but he'd promised and he wasn't going to quit this quickly. His word still meant something to him.

"I'm not sure where you got the idea you aren't wanted. It's been made clear to me that's not true and that if you leave, I'm going to get blamed for it," he sat down on one of the chairs, gathering his thoughts together as Nathan leaned against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest in defiance.

"Look, it was a good thing you did, being there for Haley. I should have been looking out for her, but I wasn't. If something had happened to her, I never would have forgiven myself," he placed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "I've been preoccupied, first with Peyton and then with you. I was too caught up to even realize that she might need someone after her break-up or that the guy would consider doing something like that. I took our friendship for granted and I let her down."

"You're damn right you did. That guy was a dick and he treated her like dirt. He deserved everything he got the other night and then some..." Nathan's desire to just passively listen was blown to hell and his fists automatically clenched at the thought of what the punk had told her. "If you knew the things he said..."

"She gave me a brief overview last night," Lucas replied, feeling the same anger he could see on the dark haired boy's face. "I wish she'd felt she could tell me earlier." He paused, watching as Nathan fought to control his temper and bring back the I don't care attitude he'd had a minute ago. "You know, she believes we could get along if I were willing to give it a chance."

"Really?" Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing it."

"Actually, she said friends, but I toned it back," Lucas chuckled, "I think she was getting a little too optimistic."

Both boys smiled at the brief attempt at levity and some of the tension finally dissolved, "thanks for trying, but I think it would be a lot easier on everyone if I just got out of here. "

Lucas nodded in understanding. He knew as hard as it was for him to apologize, it had to be at least as difficult for Nathan to accept it and even more to trust he meant it. "I told her you'd probably say that, but I promised to give it a shot. There's something about that girl that makes me not want to disappoint her and I've already done it too much lately. Enough for a lifetime"

Nathan could see the older boy's struggle and knew she really be important for him to open himself up to what he knew would be an awkward, possibly hostile situation. She was the kind of friend you didn't want to let down because you knew she'd never do it to you. "She's a good friend."

"She called me last night and she was pretty upset," Lucas fiddled with the lid on his drink, "It's kind of funny, you know? She's talked to me, she's yelled at me, she's even hit me over the last few weeks, but I just ignored it all. I was so sure I was right and so angry that I couldn't listen. But when I got there last night and she was in tears? Let me tell you, I'm not sure I've ever felt so low in my life. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen her cry and to see her that way because of me? Because of my actions? It reached me in a way I'm not sure anything else could."

Nathan knew what he meant. He'd seen a few of her stray tears leak at the party and it had felt like a punch in his gut. He didn't remember any other girl's tears affecting him so deeply, except maybe his mother's. "I wanted to kill that Alex bastard for touching her. She deserves better, from everyone."

Lucas agreed, having already admitted his culpability, "So it's probably none of my business, but are you two? Um...you know...?"

"NO," Nathan protested, "I mean, I really like her. She's really easy to talk to and no matter what it is, she always seems to understand. But we're just friends **.** "

Lucas wasn't sure he believed the answer he'd received. He of all people knew how seriously Haley took her friendships, but her reaction to Nathan's possible departure had seemed more desperate than it would be for a new friend. Still, as much as he was curious, he knew it wasn't what he should focus on at the moment. "I've known her since we were 8 and she's always been that way. My mom says she has an old soul. It's gotten her burned a few times, but it's also earned her some pretty loyal friends."

"I can understand why,." Nathan said as he looked down at his watch, surprised that Dan was running late and getting impatient. He wanted to get on the road as soon as possible and the conversation had become more serious than he'd ever intended. He had come to terms with what was never going to be possible here and Lucas finally treating him like a human, even opening up to him a little, was threatening to make him question his decision. He didn't want to think it through anymore. It felt like that's all he'd done his whole life was adapt to change and try to make the best of it. He was sick of feeling off-balance all the time and he wanted the comfort of home where he at least he had some stability.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Lucas added, seeing that Nathan was starting to soften slightly. "I know it's way too little, too late, but I shouldn't have been suck a jackass. I don't know that we could have ever been friends, there's probably too much in the way, but we didn't have to be enemies either."

Nathan turned away, his mind swirling with doubts. Was it really too late or could he continue here and salvage this opportunity? He knew, even if Lucas was serious about trying, that this wouldn't be the end of their issues. Was he willing to stay and do as his mom asked despite all the problems? Could he really bring himself to open up and get to know his father? Did he really believe this was where he should be? Could he continue to live in the same house with someone who at best didn't want him there and at worst wished he'd never existed? His head was starting to hurt as the questions resumed their march on his mind.

"Is Dan coming down or what?" he asked, starting to pace the room. He wasn't used to questioning his decisions. Once he made up his mind, he stuck to it. Just like on the court, he believed there was no time to second guess himself. This time, he could feel himself waffling and his unusual indecisiveness made him angry. "We need to get going."

"I asked him if I could talk to you alone first. He'll be down soon," Lucas admitted.

Nathan turned in frustration and flung the door open, "I'm not waiting any longer. If you want to run with me, come now or you'll have to catch up."

Nathan looked back after the first block to see that Lucas had decided to come with him afterall and slowed his pace slightly to let the blonde come alongside him. He wasn't in the mood to continue their conversation, but he wasn't going to leave the boy trailing behind either. The boys ran side by side for about a mile before Nathan realized his brother was starting to tire.

"You're tired already?" he remarked as they stopped and waited to cross the intersection. "I would have thought your coach would have taken care of that."

Lucas glared at him, "I was in great shape during the season, but we haven't practiced in 3 months and I've not kept up with it. I'll get it back before the season starts."

"It's a lot easier on your body if you just maintain it," Nathan offered, "it makes those first couple of weeks of practice a hell of a lot easier too."

"So I've been told," Lucas grumbled as the they crossed and continued, but at a slightly slower pace than Nathan had set before. Lucas wasn't sure if he should be grateful for that, or mad that the boy felt the need to take pity on him.

Nathan went back to thinking about the situation he was in. There were more reasons for him to go home than there were to stay, but those were pretty strong ones and the more he thought about it, the more he was sure his mother would be upset with him for giving up so quickly. So would Haley. He wondered when it was that her opinion became something he cared about and couldn't find a specific moment. Had they really only known each other for a few weeks?

He started to make a list. He was sure that his mother and Haley would both want him to stay, Dan too probably. Lucas, despite his speech a little while earlier, would surely be happiest if he could see the back of him. Quentin and his family would be happy to have him home, but disappointed that he had quit so easily and he knew that Patrick would feel the same way. Keith hadn't been around a lot, but when they'd spoken he'd liked his laid back uncle and felt he'd just want Nathan to do whatever made him happy. That left Karen as the wild card. He'd been surprised at how welcoming she'd been when he arrived and found her the easiest by far of the people in the house to get along with, but after what he'd overheard her say, he was forced to rethink his position and wonder if had all been an act. He could only imagine how hard this was on her, but to wish he'd never been born was pretty harsh. Even if he changed his mind and stayed, he knew that would echo in his ears and wasn't sure he'd ever be able to forget it, or to trust her again.

He suddenly noticed that while he was deep in his own mind, Lucas had started to fall behind and he paused, allowing the older boy to catch up.

Lucas bent over, tying to suck in enough air to stop the burning in his lungs. "I need to stop," he gasped. He'd been determined to make it the entire way, but even after he slowed Nathan's pace was faster than he was in shape for and at about the 3 mile mark he'd realized there was no way he was going to make it all the way home without a break.

"Dan usually cuts home through there," Nathan pointed to a side street that would cut about a half mile off the overall distance. "I want to finish so I'll see you back at the house."

Lucas stood and placed his hands behind his head, trying to expand his airways. He knew he'd neglected this part of his training since the season ended but he vowed to do better. There was no way he was going to let himself be embarrassed like this again, whether Nathan left or not.

* * *

Nathan was rounding the corner of the house when he felt his body jolt at unexpected contact.

"I'm sorry..."

"Oh," Haley said as they collided, his muscular body almost knocking her smaller one to the ground in his haste. He reached for her and stopped her from falling, then helped her regain her balance before letting her go. "I was hoping to catch you before you left. I guess you caught me instead," she laughed awkwardly. "We have to stop meeting this way. I mean, you're leaving so of course we won't be running into each other again, but I just thought ..."

Nathan smiled at her embarrassment, "It's okay. I know what you meant."

"Yeah," she shook her head at herself, not sure why she was suddenly nervous. They'd gotten to be friends, and they'd talked about some fairly intimate things, and yet she was back to feeling tongue-tied. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves, "I wanted to tell you goodbye and to bring you this. You left it the other night when you were at my house."

Nathan looked at the sweatshirt she held in her hands, his last name and number 23 emblazoned on the back. He'd been so proud of it when he got it and yet he'd been so discomfited after meeting her mother he'd left without it and not even realized it was gone. "Thanks. I uh...I'm going to need it when I get back to school in a couple months."

"Yeah," Haley agreed, staring at her toes as she rolled a loose stone over the step with her shoe. She had to take her eyes off his sweaty, muscular body defined by the sleeveless t-shirt and the shorts riding low on his hips. She couldn't let herself be distracted if she was going to tell him what she'd come here to say. She looked back up and straight into his eyes, "I hope you get everything you want Nathan, including your mom healthy and back home. You deserve to have some things turn your way for a change."

Nathan watched as she fidgeted and felt the need to say something to try and alleviate the sudden tension between them, but didn't know what. "Thanks," he finally settled for. "That means a lot."

She nodded, worrying her lip between her teeth. "I'm going to miss you. I know it doesn't make sense because I haven't known you that long, but it feels like it has been a lot longer. I've enjoyed having you here."

"Dammit," he muttered, his resolve now completely gone. How did she manage to do that to him? He had been so sure he was making the right choice and now, looking into her watery brown eyes, he was almost sure it was the wrong one. Luke was right, she was damn hard to willingly disappoint, "I haven't decided for sure what I'm going to do."

"But I thought you said..."

"I know," he said with a sigh, taking a few steps to the side and sitting on a bench. "I'm just wondering if it's a mistake... If I'll look back in a few years and wish I'd have at least given it a real chance here... If I missed out on something that could have been worthwhile. Maybe it won't and I'll end up leaving in another couple weeks, but if I don't try. I'll never know."

"So Lucas convinced you to stay? He claimed he wouldn't be able to, but I had faith that he could. He's quite persuasive when he wants to be..." she smiled.

"Actually," Nathan stopped her ramble. "He didn't. You did."

Haley tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What did I do?"

Nathan patted the seat next to him and she joined him. "When you told me you'd miss me, I realized I'm going to feel the same way about you."

"So you're going to stay because of me?" Haley asked in shock. "Wow," she whispered, "Um, I'm not sure that's..."

"No," Nathan grinned at her reaction, "you being here is just a bonus. I realized though, that I gave you a chance and you have very quickly become someone who matters to me."

Haley blushed at the compliment and tucked her hair behind her ear, "Well thanks, but I still don't understand..."

"I guess I figure, maybe if I give some of the other people a chance, they'll show me they're worth missing too."

* * *

"So we're about to pass right between UNC and Duke," Dan said, breaking the silence that had pervaded the car for the first couple of hours.

"It's nice," Nathan said, pulling his headphones from his ears. "Haley wants to go to Duke."

Dan nodded, glad that the boy was finally talking. Although he found it interesting that when he did it would be about his brother's best friend. He decided to store that information away to think about later, "Lucas wants to go to UNC, where I went."

"Where you met my mom," Nathan added, still looking out the window.

"Yeah," Dan said with a sigh. He knew they needed to talk about everything that had happened, he wasn't really even sure how much Nathan knew, but he didn't enjoy looking back on that time of his life. He'd made a lot of bad choices, mistakes that they were all still dealing with the fallout from. "She was beautiful."

"She still is," Nathan whispered, turning back to look at his father. "Why did you do it? How could you date her, lead her on when you had someone, an already pregnant girlfriend at home?" he paused, shaking his head. "I think that's the thing I have the most trouble with. It wasn't a one night stand. My mom said you were together for a couple of months and you never told her the truth. You lied to her right from the start."

Dan paused as he watched the road, it was starting to rain and he used the extra attention he needed to drive as an excuse to not respond right away. "Karen and I had been the perfect high school couple, the captain of the basketball team and the head cheerleader. I had a basketball scholarship to my dream school and she was going to come with me. I had everything planned out perfectly. We went to prom and were crowned king and queen and then after, I had a romantic evening set up for us. A fairytale couldn't have done any better, until she told me she was pregnant."

He could still remember everything about that night, the sounds, the smells, how beautiful Karen had looked and how terrified he'd been when she told him the truth. "I threw up. Right there. I wasn't ready to be a father, I was just enjoying the excitement of getting away from my own. And at that moment, I resented her. I was on top of the world and she was dragging me back to Earth. I couldn't let that happen, so I broke up with her."

"Even though she was pregnant?" Nathan asked in disbelief. "You're an even bigger jackass than I thought."

"I'm not defending what I did," Dan told him, wincing at the harsh condemnation in his son's words. "I was wrong and I think I knew it even then, but I wouldn't back down. I was going to follow my dream and no one was going to stop me. I avoided her as much as possible for the next few weeks and then I left early for college. I tried to forget her and put her behind me and then at Freshman orientation, I met your mom. She was sweet and gorgeous and I asked her out. Before I knew it, we were spending every spare moment together and I started to fall for her. I knew it was wrong that I didn't tell her. Even if I had no intention of going back to Tree Hill, she deserved to know I would soon be a father. I couldn't bring myself to do it though. Probably because I knew she would end it. Eventually we started being...together and then one night, she told me she loved me. The next morning I woke up full of guilt, but even that wasn't enough for me to fix things. I didn't want to tell her the truth, but I felt too guilty to be with her, so I started making excuses about being busy. Basketball had started so it wasn't too hard to believe. A week or so later, I got a call from Keith that Karen had collapsed and been rushed to the hospital. There were some complications with the pregnancy and she'd been put on bed rest. I panicked at the news and finally realized what I had to do, what I should have done from the beginning. I went home and patched things up with Karen and then I came back to school to finish the semester. We weren't sure what we would do about the next one with her due in January and the season less than half over, but I figured she could come live with me. I thought I had it all planned out again and I finally felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. Deb called me and said we needed to talk so I agreed and went to her dorm to tell her the news. I knew it would hurt her, she thought she loved me after all, but I had no idea how much more there was to it. She let me go first and I told her what I'm telling you. When I was done, she was crying, but she told me that she wanted me to be happy and that it was for the best since she was planning on breaking up with me anyway. I was so relieved that things were finally coming together for me again that I never once suspected that what she actually planned to tell me was that she was pregnant too."

Dan looked over at his son who was back to staring out the window. "I made a lot of mistakes Nathan and I honestly don't know what I would have done if I'd known about you, but I can tell you this. It would not have taken 17 years for us to meet. I would have found a way to at least be a part of your life."

Nathan nodded in acceptance but didn't say anything. He'd heard his mom's version of the story a few weeks ago and while Dan's actions still disgusted him, he had also admitted his mistakes and apologized. He needed time to think things through and wished he could get out right then and go for a run. He always did his best thinking while he was doing something physical that didn't require much thought. It was as though his mind could focus better when his body occupied with the mundane. He put his headphones back on. He wasn't sure how he should react to the story he'd just been told, but he did know he wasn't ready to talk or listen anymore until he could sort it out.

* * *

"So Kentucky?" Dan asked after they stopped for a quick snack and some gas. "Why did you pick there? You aren't even a senior yet. Why not keep your options open when you could probably go just about anywhere?"

"My best friend Quentin and I grew up Kentucky fans. That's where his father went and we always talked about following in his footsteps. He took us for our first visit to the campus to watch a game when we were 10 and we made the pact that that's what we were going to do, what we worked for," Nathan explained, glad to be talking about something else. "Now we both have scholarship offers and a chance to make it come true."

"But you could go someplace closer to home, either your mom's or mine. I could talk to someone at Carolina if you want. You know Kentucky's program hasn't been as good the last few years and it's a long way away..."

"We're going to bring it back," Nathan told him. "James Fields is the closest I've had to a father. He spent more time with me than most fathers do with their sons. He taught me to play the game, how to treat people, he helped me with my homework when my mom couldn't. Q and I...we're going to do everything we can to make him proud and that includes helping to revive their program, hopefully bring them another championship."

"I wish I could have been there to do those things with you, but I wasn't given that chance. You have me now though and if you want to get into the NBA, you know that the school you go to has to put you in the best positions for the scouts," Dan told him. "I'm sure if he cares about you that much he would understand if you changed your mind, especially if..."

"He died."

Dan looked over at him in surprise, his mouth gaping open at the revelation. He didn't know what to say that wouldn't make him sound even worse than he probably did. How did he even respond to that?

"He was killed two days before my 13th birthday. Someone fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into him on his way home from work." Nathan turned his cd player back on and prepared to put the headphones over his ears, "He was a great man and I miss him every day. It's not about whether he would understand or be proud, because I know he would. He always was. It's about honoring his memory."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Dan was angry with himself. He shouldn't have pushed Nathan, especially when their relationship was still so new and precarious. He'd wanted to make sure the boy was making the right decision. Admittedly it galled him to hear another man being talked about as his father and he'd wanted to put himself in that place. Instead, he'd pushed him even further away. "I'm glad you had someone like him."

"Yeah," Nathan responded, reclining his seat a little. He was done talking. He'd been willing to try, but he'd been right when he'd told Haley he wasn't ready. It was just too hard, "I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when we get there."


	10. Chapter 10

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I tried to post this yesterday but for some reason it wouldn't let me. We don't get any Naley this chapter, but it is a necessary chapter to give us more of Nathan's background and move the story forward. I promise, we'll get some cute Naley scenes soon.

 **Ch 10**

Dan parked the car in the parking lot for what appeared to be a bar in what would be classified as the older part of town on the edge of the Virginia Tech campus. _Deb's Den_. It wasn't very busy at that time of day, but there were still a few cars and it appeared to be open so he took the key out of the ignition and prepared to go inside.

He looked over at his napping son. The boy looked so young and peaceful in his sleep and Dan took a few minutes to really look him over in a way he hadn't yet. Most fathers get the chance to look over every inch of their child's body when they are born and it almost made him tear up that the first time he really got to do it, he could already see the hints of hair on the boy's face. His son was almost a man already and he barely knew him. What was his first word? What did he like other than basketball? What did he want to major in when he went to college? Had he ever been in love? He didn't know the answers to any of those questions and after the way the ride there had gone, he wasn't sure he'd ever get to find out.

Nathan started to stir and Dan reached out a hand, gently waking him the rest of the way. "We're here. Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital first?"

"No, I want to get a few things and have something to eat. Mrs. Fields is in the kitchen this time of day and I'm not going to miss the chance to eat her cooking," Nathan told him, getting out of the car and stretching after his nap. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, "It'll probably just be the regulars inside. There aren't many students around during the summer."

They walked in the front door and Dan was surprised by the interior. The outside of the building wasn't anything to look at, but the inside was much nicer than he expected. There was, of course, a bar area, but there was also an area for darts and billiards, tables for people to eat at, and televisions for people to watch sports. It wasn't dark and dingy, but instead clean and welcoming, as was the woman who rushed to greet them.

"Nate," an older woman said, coming and giving him an immediate hug. "I swear you've grown even more since you've been gone. Pretty soon, you're going to have to duck to come through that door."

"I hope so, I have to keep up with Q," he grinned, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. "Irma, this is my...this is Dan Scott. Dan, this is one of the women who has made it her job to try and fatten me up the last few years. I was super skinny before they got hold of me."

"And you still are," she laughed, "although there's some nice muscles there now too. Are you going to head upstairs or are you going to eat? Wait, let me guess, both. You wouldn't pass up Denise's lunch."

"You know me too well," Nathan teased her, "I'll be back down in a few minutes to eat and see her."

"You want your regular?" she asked, handing Dan a menu to look at while they talked.

"I thought maybe I'd change it up a little," he told her with a grin. "Give me sweet potato fries instead of mashed potatoes. I haven't had a bite of sweet potato since I left here."

"What is wrong with those people?" she laughed. "You'd think you went up north."

Nathan just shrugged, noticing that other people were starting to realize he was there and come over to greet him. "I'll say hello to a few people while you decide," he told Dan, stepping away from the older man. "I recommend the chicken fried steak. It's the best I've ever had."

Dan watched as Nathan was surrounded by people saying hi and welcoming him back. The boy looked like a totally different person than he'd witnessed thus far. He was easier going, less on guard with these people. It was obvious that despite their early struggles, Deb had made a good life for them here and given him a lot of good people that, while not strictly family, seemed to fill a similar role in his life. He caught Irma's eye and gave her his order just as Nathan returned.

"Most of these people have watched me grow up. Q and I are kind of like their nephews, or in some cases," Nathan said, tilting his head toward Irma, "grandkids. It's good to be home, I've missed it."

* * *

"How does he look?" Denise asked Irma as she joined her in the kitchen. "He's been sugarcoating it to his mama, but Q says he's had a hard time down there. That boy gets along with everybody, what's their problem?"

"There's definitely tension between him and his old man," Irma said, putting plates on a tray to carry out to customers, "but you know he's tough. It doesn't seem like it's done any real damage."

"I don't know what Deb was thinking sending him there," another waitress said, joining them in the kitchen. "He's already gone most of the year and soon he'll be off to college. I don't know what good it's going to do to spend a summer with his deadbeat daddy."

"It was her decision and we need to respect it," Denise said, moving to check on the items on the stove. "I know we're all attached to him, but she's still his mama. She feels it's something he needs and you know she'd do anything for that boy."

The other waitress left and Irma finished the last plate, "Nate doesn't seem all too fond of the guy, but I can see why Deb fell for him. He sure is a good looking man."

"Unfortunately, we all know that looks aren't everything," Denise said. "I just hope he doesn't hurt Nathan the way he hurt his mother."

* * *

Nathan came out of his room with a new bag, his original having been deposited on his bed, and found Dan wandering the living room, looking at all the pictures his mother had on display. "Your first game?" Dan asked, holding up a picture of a young Nathan wearing a jersey and holding a basketball.

"The first time I was on a real team," Nathan agreed. "Quentin and I were so mad because they separated us. Of course if they hadn't, none of the other teams would've stood a chance, but we didn't understand that at the time. My team won of course," Nathan smirked, "but I'm pretty sure we ended up being Co-MVPs," he gestured to another photo of both boys holding up matching trophies.

"How did you end up learning so young. You're what six here?" Dan traced his finger over the boy in the picture, his gap toothed smile showing his happiness and his missing teeth. "I don't remember your mom being interested in the game."

"Five," Nathan took the picture and put it back on the shelf. "Q and I actually met at the laundromat when I was three. I don't remember it really, but I've heard the story enough that if feels like I do. Apparently Q was playing with one of those little basketballs off to the side. I walked over and asked to play. We ended up playing catch and much to our mothers' dismay used an empty washer as a hoop so he could teach me to shoot," Nathan smiled at the memory. "Our mom's started getting us together to play and when I was at his place, his dad taught us the game. We've been best friends ever since."

Dan looked like he was going to say something but nodded and held back instead, much to Nathan's relief. "We should probably get back down before our food gets cold."

Dan hesitated, not finished looking at the pictures of a life he'd missed so much of. "Do you have any more?"

Nathan reached under the television and pulled out an album, the worn cover showing it had been looked at many times through the years, "Here, you can look through these. Just...be careful. My mom will be pissed if anything happens to them."

* * *

"What's up with you Haley?" Brooke asked, leaning back on Haley's bed. "Are you still upset about Alex because I swear, I will totally kick his ass, or get someone to do it for me, if you're ..."

"I'm not," Haley smiled at Brooke's feisty attitude. "I'm pretty sure the guys scared the crap out of him already."

"So what's got you feeling the blues? Dr. Brooke is in the house. Tell me your troubles," she said, grabbing Haley's glasses off her nightstand and putting them on. "I'm here to help."

Haley giggled and shook her head at her friend's antics, glad she'd come. It was so nice to have a close girl friend. As much as she loved Lucas, there were certain things she couldn't or wouldn't talk about with him and with her sisters married or away at college and her parents often travelling, she'd come to depend on her friend. "It's not a big deal. I'm just worried about Nathan."

"You said he decided to come back and he and Luke are going to try and work things out. Isn't that what you hoped for?" Brooke asked, a little confused. "You should be happy, not stressed. "

"I am...mostly," Haley said, checking her toenail polish, "I just hate that he ever felt unwanted in the first place and I'm a little worried how it's going with Dan. I know he's come a long way, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in the car with him for that long, especially with the background they have."

"You worried about him or worried he might change his mind about coming back?" Brooke asked, turning her body to face her friend.

"Both?" Haley covered her face with her hands, exasperated with herself. "I admit that I'll miss him if he stays there, but I also think it's something he'd wonder about for the rest of his life. Dan isn't always the easiest person to deal with. I just hope he doesn't drive him away. I guess I mostly wish I knew how it was going."

"So call him," Brooke gave what she saw as the obvious answer. "You want to know, so ask. You've got his number right?"

"I can't do that. He'll think I'm stalking him or something," Haley's eyes were wide at the suggestion. She didn't just call boys on their phones. She only even had his number in case she needed to call him for the cafe, she'd never actually used it, "I'll just have to wait until he hopefully comes back tomorrow."

"And if he doesn't, then it will be too late and you'll wish you took the chance to maybe tip the scales while you had it," Brooke shook her head at her friend's shyness. "You keep telling me you're friends. Why would he'd even think twice about you making the call? Would you think it was weird if he called you?"

"I guess not...ok fine, I'll think about it," Haley groaned, torn between wanting to hear his voice and the fear of making a fool of herself. "He's probably with his mom right now anyway. If I do it, I'll wait until later."

* * *

"The apartment was smaller than I expected," Dan said, as they headed back down the stairs. "I'm surprised you aren't using more of the upstairs space for living in."

"We use it for storage and it's cheaper this way. Besides, we have what we need and it's bigger than we used to have. In fact, when we first moved in, I thought it was huge. It was the first time I'd actually had my own bedroom. Before, I always slept with mom or on the couch," Nathan locked the door at the bottom of the stairs as he had the one to the apartment above. "It seems a little silly now, but for a 10 year old, it felt like a dream come true."

They entered the main dining area just as Mrs. Fields personally brought out their meals. She set them down and immediately drew Nathan into a hug. "Boy you sure keep getting more handsome...and bigger. I don't know who's taller, you or my Q. You've both long passed me."

"It's your awesome cooking," he grinned, enjoying the feel of being in her embrace. He might have been short a dad a good portion of his life, but it had always felt like he had two great moms. He pulled away slightly and turned, "this is Dan Scott. Dan, this is Mrs. Fields."

The two adults did the requisite handshakes and sized each other up, "I've heard good things about your family," Dan finally said. "I can't thank you enough for being there for Nathan."

"He's part of our family," she said, making sure he heard the underlying implications of her statement. "We've all taken care of each other and we always will. If anyone tries to mess with any of my boys, they'll have to go through me first." She let go of Nathan and headed back toward the kitchen, stopping for a moment to whisper to Dan, "Deb isn't alone this time. If you plan to hurt her, you better remember that."

* * *

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Patrick asked, sitting next to the woman he loved and holding her hand. "You're still weak from your last treatment and..."

"I'm fine," she told him, squeezing his hand. It was funny how after several years of her insisting that they only be friends she found herself initiating more personal contact between them lately. It was like now that all the truth was out, she could finally consider moving on with her life. "Thank you for being here. I know you have cases you should be working on and this will probably be uncomfortable."

"Nothing that has to be done today. Besides, you know I think you're more important than any case." He saw her look at the clock and then move her hair behind her ear. She was obviously nervous and he wasn't sure how much that should bother him. She was about to come face to face with the man she'd once told him was the love of her life. He knew that man was married now and she claimed her feelings for him were long gone, but for the first time in 18 years they were going interact with each other and their child. He'd promised to be there with her for support, but was going to be hard watching the long overdue family reunion.

"You look beautiful you know," he told her. "I don't usually tell you because you've been so determined to keep us just friends, but you should know. It's hard to believe you have a son who's old enough to be out on his own."

"Nice try, but right now, I feel old enough to be his grandmother," she argued but couldn't help but smile at his words. "I just don't want to end up fighting in front of Nathan. He's already been through so much, I don't want him to feel like he has to choose between us."

"I still don't understand why you want that relationship so much. Nate's done just fine for 17 years without knowing the guy," Patrick released her hand and stood up. "Why is it so important now?"

"Do you realize that I've felt guilty for that every day of his life?" Deb asked quietly. "Every time there was a father son outing or he won something in basketball that he could have shared with his father I felt it," she clasped her fist against her chest as tears leaked from her eyes, "but I was so scared and selfish."

"You have done everything for that boy," Patrick told her sitting on the side of the bed and brushing the tears from her cheeks, "you're one of the least selfish people I know."

"I wish that were true," she tried to smile. "I'm not ready to give up and I don't want to die, but I have to be realistic about my chances. He already lost someone he saw as a father. I can't bear the thought of leaving him without either of his real parents too."

"You know I would watch out for him don't you? Denise too?" he told her. "We both love him and we could..."

Nathan knocked on the door and popped his head in, "anyone miss me?"

"Of course I did," she smiled, raising her arms for him to come give her a hug. "Come here. You might be a foot taller than me but you'll always be my baby boy."

Nathan went to her and hugged her carefully, sitting next to her on the bed, "Your hair is coming back in. It looks great."

She reached up and touched her short curls, "the one plus of having to do a different type of treatment. No more bandanas"

Someone cleared their throat and mother and son both turned, "Oh, obviously you know my mom," Nathan told Dan who was still standing next to the doorway, "and this is her... our...close friend Patrick."

Dan looked over at the man standing on the other side of the bed. He was a little older than Dan and of a similar height with the two Scotts. He had a slim build and some gray threaded through his dark hair. Nathan hadn't said much about the guy and he thought he understood why. He didn't look like an athlete, he looked distinguished, like a professor or a lawyer. They probably didn't have much in common and Dan realized in embarrassment that he was puffing out his chest. Leave it to him to cause more problems by getting in a pissing contest in a hospital room.

"Hello Deb," he said, forcing himself to relax and then stepping closer. "It's been a long time."

Deb nodded and then looked back at Nathan, "So what have you been up to since we got to really talk?" she asked him, for the moment ignoring the two older men in favor of reconnecting with her son.

Nathan looked up at Dan for a moment and she had a feeling she'd be getting another carefully edited version of the last week. She knew he didn't want to upset her, but she planned to talk to Dan and get his version of events. She was pretty sure it wasn't going nearly as smoothly as her son wanted her to think, "Lucas and his friends invited me to go to their beach house. It's got this amazing view of the ocean. I wish you could've seen it, it's gorgeous."

Nathan and Deb continued to talk for a while longer before Patrick broke in, clearing his throat. Even though he knew it was for the best, he was having trouble forming the words, "I have something I'd like to talk to Nathan about," he said, gesturing to the door, "and I thought maybe you two would like to talk...alone for a little while."

Dan walked closer to the bed as the other two walked out, taking a seat in the vacant chair. "How are you?"

"Still fighting," she told him, examining the man the boy she remembered had turned into. "How are things going? Nathan tells me they're fine, but I can always tell when he's lying. I need you to be honest. Should I have him stay here? I never meant for this to hurt him."

Dan sighed, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other, "It hasn't been smooth or easy. Lucas has been...difficult and Nathan hasn't really been willing to let me get close. The most we've talked in the entire time was on the way here this morning and that ended in him taking a nap just to avoid further conversation."

Deb closed her eyes. She had worried that Nathan would close off his emotions to try and deal with the situation. "He's not talking at all?"

"He'll talk if it's about basketball or something else totally superficial, but if I try to get to know him, he just shuts down," Dan explained. "It seems like Haley is the only one he actually talks to. She's Luke's best friend. He says they've apparently gotten close."

Deb filed that information away to think about later. She wondered if it was the same girl he'd mentioned briefly a couple times and assumed it must be. She knew Nathan's usual feelings about dating or even being friends with girls and thought it was an interesting development. She wished she could meet this girl and see what made her so special that he would be willing to break his self inflicted rules.

"He's a good kid, but I'm not sure what to do," Dan continued. "It would have been a lot easier if you'd let me meet him sooner. He has so much resentment built up and he blames me for everything." He stood up and started to pace the room. "I'm trying to be a good father, to both my boys, but even I don't know the answer to some of their questions. I need you to help me understand. I mean, you completely cut me out of his life, yet you gave him my name. If you never planned to tell me, which I'm assuming since you waited this long you didn't, then why give us that connection? Was it just a backup plan in case you ever needed me?"

Deb sat her bed up further. She'd spent years thinking about, dreading this moment when she first met up with her son's father after so many years. Never did she imagine she'd be practically strapped to a hospital bed by ivs and other assorted medical equipment when it happened. She wished she could stand and pace as Dan was doing, but this was the best she could do at the moment.

"I didn't tell you at first because I was too hurt. You just dumped me out of nowhere and then when I tried to see you, you avoided me like the plague. I mean, I know you had a family you were going back to, but even still, I thought you'd cared about me...at least a little."

Dan started to make excuses but Deb held up her hand. "You asked and I'm answering. I decided you didn't deserve to know about our son, but when he was born I felt so much love and joy. I looked down at him, he already had the dark hair and blue eyes so much like yours, and I realized I couldn't be that selfish. I decided to tell you right away and even though I knew you were already married by then, I thought he deserved to have your name. Especially since I didn't want him having mine with the way my parents had treated us. They didn't deserve to have any connection to the baby they'd tried so hard to get me to abort."

"Were they really that bad?" Dan couldn't help but ask. He wanted to hear the rest of her story, but felt the need to know. "I know they stopped giving you money."

"They're old southern royalty," Deb explained. "You know it was hard to convince them to let me go to UNC."

Dan nodded, remembering her telling him about that back when they were together.

"Well, not only was it a terrible look for their daughter to have a baby out of wedlock, but they'd always planned for me to marry the son of one of their business partners. When I told them I was pregnant, they negotiated a deal to pay the other family for him to marry me anyway. Of course I said no. I was completely repulsed by the idea of them basically buying me a husband."

"I can imagine," Dan smirked. Deb had always been feisty and he could only imagine the row that kind of pronouncement would have led to. "And what did they do then?"

"They told me if I wanted to continue as part of their family, the only other option was abortion. When I refused, they kicked me out of the house and completely disowned me. They confiscated my cell phone, my car...everything. I wasn't even allowed contact with my younger brother or they threatened to do the same to him."

Dan cringed at the tale. She told it so matter-of-factly, but he could only imagine the pain that a 19 year old girl must have felt at the callous treatment by the people who were supposed to love and support her. He'd had a lot of problems with his own father, but he couldn't imagine him ever doing something so despicable.

"I got a job and worked as long as I could and then when Nathan was born, I sent you a letter with a picture in it. I figured even if you didn't want anything to do with us, you'd at least want to know. I waited for almost a month and didn't hear back from you. Your phone number had been disconnected and since it was the only way I had left to reach you, I sent another letter and a more recent picture. This time I made sure to tell you that I didn't expect anything from you and I wasn't asking for money, but that I would like you to at least acknowledge him as yours. You still didn't answer. At that point, I decided to just put you behind us. You might as well be dead and I was going to move on. I couldn't keep waiting and hoping, I had to find a way to do it on my own."

"I never got the letters," Dan told her, moving back to the chair. "I can't tell you what I would have done back then, but I swear I would have at least responded. I would have at least wanted to meet him."

"As the years went on, I considered trying to contact you again. By then, I wasn't as naive and I knew of other ways to reach you. I even had someone I knew check you out, but when I saw how you were living by then, I got scared. I knew that if you decided to ask for custody, you'd win. It was selfish, because you could have given him a lot of things I couldn't, but he was all I had and I couldn't bring myself to take the chance of him being taken away from me. I told myself that you already had a son, it wasn't fair for you to have 2 and leave me with none. Plus, by then we were doing better. Nathan had a father figure in his life and we were keeping our heads above water. I never accepted money from them, but on the occasions we struggled, I knew I could count on the Fields to make sure that Nathan had what he needed."

"Until he died," Dan chimed in.

Deb looked at him in surprise, "I'm shocked he told you that. He never talks about it you know? Even right after it happened he kept it all bottle up inside until one day I found him at the cemetery sobbing. James Fields wasn't just his father figure, he was his hero. It really gutted Nathan when he died, but it also brought him and Q even closer. After that they weren't just inseparable best friends, they were brothers."

"Before he died, we'd taken every penny we had and went out and got a loan to buy the pub and fix it up. Denise and I have run it together for the last 6 years. It gave us a steady income and Nathan and I a safer place to live. Unfortunately, while it meant I only had to work one job, it also meant continued long hours. Now even that is in jeopardy because for the last year I haven't been able to pull my weight. Denise is doing a good job running it, but we had to hire someone to take my hours and it pulled our profits down. If this treatment doesn't work, I'm not sure we'll be able to stay open much longer."

"Maybe I could help?" Dan offered, "I mean, I'm sure I owe you a ton in child support and..."

"Don't," Deb told him, raising her hand to ward off his comments. "I didn't contact you because I want anything from you. I made my decision and I've stuck by it. I'm not your responsibility. All I ask is that you make sure Nathan is taken care of. He's already suffered enough from our foolish decisions."

"I'll try, but I'm not sure he'll let me. He doesn't like me and he sure as hell doesn't trust me," Dan admitted. "Every time I feel like we take a step forward, I do or say something that makes us take two steps back. I don't know how to reach him,"

"You've always had a silver tongue and if the success of your car dealership tells me anything, you still do," Deb closed her eyes as a wave of pain washed through her. "You'll figure it out. Just don't be too hard on him and try to be patient. He's been burned more than once by people he thought he could trust and he's learned the hard way that when you're as talented as he is, people will use you in any way they can. I've tried to be there for him, but if anything, my illness has only made him more cynical. He doesn't just worry people might let him down, he expects it. It won't be easy to prove you really care."

Dan nodded in understanding. He hadn't been near the level of talent Nathan seemed to possess and he'd had people coming out of the woodwork his Senior year of high school, trying to get close to him and take advantage of his small measure of fame. The same thing happened even more in his year at Carolina. "Is that why you let him go away to Oak Hill?"

"It was a great opportunity for both boys, but yes. Essentially, Denise and I decided it was the best way to protect them from the type of people that were coming around to recruit and tempt them. Without James and working as much as we were, we didn't know if we'd be able to do it," she smoothed out the edges of her blanket as she explained. "It's a great school with a great program. They also run a tight, secure campus and have strict enough rules to make them toe the line. At first, I actually worried it was too strict, but they've done well there. It's been a real blessing while I've been in and out of the hospital so much."

There was a knock on the door and Nathan came in, his hands in his pockets as he looked between the room's occupants, "The nurse is here with your meds," he told them.

"Oh," Deb said, looking at the clock in surprise. "I'm sorry...I..."

"It's okay," Nathan told her, coming to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Pat said they'll make you sleepy so I'll go visit Q for a while and come back later. Is there anything I can bring you?"

"Soup would be good," she told him, reaching out and squeezing his hand. "I love you Nate."

"Love you too mom," he smiled back, gesturing for Dan to join him in the hallway. "I'll be back in a little while."

Nathan left and Dan followed, "Dan?" Deb asked, stopping him just as he was about to close the door. "He's the most important thing in my world. Please take good care of him."


	11. Chapter 11

We haven't had a lot of new chapters the last couple of days and I had this done, so Happy New Year. I hope you enjoy the quick update.

Also, to answer one of my guest reviewers, yes we will see Dan and Keith's parents and we will also see Keith and Cooper a little bit going forward, though none of them will have a ton of "screen time".

 **Ch 11**

The two Scott men walked into the local YMCA, the smell of chlorine burning their air passages as they passed the pool on the way to the gym where Nathan often played pick-up games when the court was available. It was an old building, but the gym was decent and the only place they could escape the heat in the summer and the frost in the winter.

Nathan had shown his father around the college town for a little while before Dan offered to drive him to meet his friend. He'd planned to just drop the boy off and head to his hotel, but asked to come inside when he realized they were going to a gym.

"Nathan Scott," one of the boys said, walking over to him and giving him a complicated handshake that had them both laughing. "Haven't seen you lately. Thought maybe we scared you off. You know, since you lost last time."

"Maybe you shouldn't think so hard," another boy said, coming from the other side. "Might fry what's left of your brain. You know Nate's not one to give up. He's more likely to come back and whoop your ass."

"Hey Q," Nathan said, skipping the handshake and giving his friend a hug instead. "Thought I'd find you here."

"Where else would I be when my bro's deserted me?" he joked, slapping Nathan on the back. "It's good to see you man. You want to jump in? We were just about to start a new game."

"I don't know, Dan..."

"Go ahead," Dan said, waving toward the court, "I'd love to see you play if you don't mind me staying."

"Okay then, let's do this," Q said, grabbing the ball and slapping it between his hands. Nathan pulled his shirt off and walked onto the court, knowing that as usual he would be on the team opposite his friend. It was the only way to make the games competitive and while they loved to play together, they enjoyed challenging each other as opponents almost as much.

Nathan stood at the top of the three point line and checked the ball before passing it to an open teammate, cutting through the lane before popping back out to the three point line on the wing to receive the pass back. Q stayed with him the entire time and Nathan took a couple dribbles left, turning his back to the basket as he attempted to post up his friend faking to his right before spinning and shooting a fall away jump shot.

"You turn into a pussy while you were away?" Q teased as he took the ball back to the top of the key. "When did you decide to start shooting those weak ass fadeaways?"

"When I remembered that half the guys who guard me are at least 3 inches taller than me," Nathan grinned, full of confidence. "I've been working on it while I've had the spare time. Seems like it works pretty well. It schooled you."

"Maybe," Q said, dribbling the ball and running Nathan into a pick before spinning around him for a driving dunk. "As long as you didn't forget how to do that."

Nathan laughed, grabbing the ball and passing it to his teammate to start the next play, "I promise you I didn't. If you aren't careful, I'll even show you."

* * *

Dan sat and watched the basketball game, thoroughly impressed with both his son and his son's best friend. They were immensely talented and had obviously worked hard to be as good as they were. Nathan had made some great moves, both driving to the basket and shooting from the outside and he could see what the scouts obviously had when giving both boys scholarship offers early, trying to scoop them up before other schools could steal them away.

He wished Lucas had more of their drive. His oldest son loved the game and played it almost non-stop, but he didn't have the dedication to put in the extra time on conditioning and weight -training that it would take to be a star at the next level or maybe even beyond. He also didn't have the height. While Nathan's 6ft 2 wasn't exactly tall in the world of basketball, it was worlds above the 6ft height that Lucas had yet to surpass and that frustrated his oldest to no end.

He was trying to just enjoy the game, but couldn't help taking mental notes. As great as Nathan looked, there were some little things he noticed that he wanted to point out. He needed to bend his knees a little more on his jump shot and he didn't slide his feet as well on defense as he could, but he'd learned his lesson with Lucas and decided to wait until the game was over instead of shouting out the criticisms during the action. He was trying not to overstep and dig himself even deeper into the hole in which he found himself with his youngest progeny.

The game continued and while the other boys on the court were good players, they clearly weren't on the same level as the two friends. Surprisingly though, they didn't seem upset by it, all of the boys having fun together and keeping the game pretty competitive.

He cringed as Nathan dove on the floor after a loose ball and added another thing to speak to him about. He wondered what the kid's coach would've thought about that move and decided he definitely needed to say something. That was the kind of dangerous play that cost young players their careers. He should know since it was getting undercut on a loose rebound that had cost him his knee and the rest of his playing days.

Nathan hit a three pointer that won the game and the boys jostled and joked with each other as they came over to the bench. Dan wasn't sure how to feel about the sides of his son he'd seen since his return to his home. He was different than Dan had ever seen him and while it was great to see him happy, it also hammered home the fact that Nathan didn't feel he could be that way with him. He couldn't help but feel slighted that he hadn't had any say in the raising of his son or control over the resentment his son felt because of his absence. Well, he had his chance to be a father now and that was going to change.

"So what do you say Mr. Scott?" Quentin asked, bringing Dan back to the present.

"I say you boys looked good out there..." he gestured to the laughing boys. "I'll admit, I was impressed. You're both very talented. It was a good game."

"But?" Nathan asked, noticing the hesitation at the end of his statement.

"But you two are being reckless. There is no reason for you to be playing so hard against this kind of competition, not when you could beat them at half speed," Dan continued, his voice dropping in an attempt to keep it between them. "I'm frankly surprised your coach hasn't already talked to you about this kind of thing. You could end up getting yourselves hurt and then where would you be?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Nathan said, stepping forward. "You have no right to talk to me about how I play, or to talk about these guys that way. I see where Lucas gets his assiness from and I don't want any part of it."

"I am your dad and I don't want to see you lose the game like I did. I want to protect you from feeling that pain," Dan told him, his voice rising before trailing off. "I don't want you to have the regrets I do."

"So now you care about my pain? As far as I'm concerned, you haven't earned anything more than the title sperm donor," Nathan spat out, looking away and remembering the conversation was taking place in a very crowded setting and though they weren't purposely eavesdropping, the other guys could hear every word. "Never mind," he attempted to halt the argument.

"You know it's not my fault your mother kept you from me for all those years and it's pissing me off that you won't acknowledge that. She never gave me the chance to be there for you," Dan said, not backing down despite Nathan's attempt to do so. "She should carry at least some of the blame for this mess."

"You lied to her through your whole relationship and then dumped her for another woman, one you'd left because _she_ got pregnant. After all that, she was supposed to trust you? She was should've just magically known you'd do well by her and her son?" Nathan laughed harshly, grabbing his bag and throwing it over his shoulder. "You can rationalize it all you want, but If you want to be upset with somebody, you have no one to look at but yourself. I'm out of here."

Nathan stormed off and Dan went to follow but Quentin grabbed him by the arm. "Let him go Mr. Scott. You have to let him cool down. He'll be more apt to listen to an apology once he does."

"I made mistakes and I admit them, but I'm not the bad guy here. I'm just doing the best I can," Dan told the boy. "I don't know what I can do to get him to give me a real chance.

"Maybe stop acting like an ass?" Quentin told him seriously, watching as the other guys took this chance to disperse. "Look. He grew up his whole life thinking you were dead ."

Dan tried to interject but Q shook his head and kept going, "and whether or not it's your fault doesn't matter, it's the truth. Because he never met you, it was easy to make up stories about you and all the things you would have done together. I remember when we were in elementary school we had this father son baseball game. My dad came with both of us, but it's pretty obvious that's not a biological thing," Q chuckled, pointing out the differences in their skin color. "One of the other kids teased him about it and Nathan got so mad he punched him right in the mouth. Anyway, after my dad took us home, he told me all these things that you would have done if you'd been there... if you were still alive. He had this image of you in his mind and you were larger than life. Now...now he has to deal with the fact that those things didn't come true, not because you were dead, but because you were already doing them with someone else. It's probably not the easiest thing to get past, especially when you act like this."

"So what do I do?"

"The only thing you can do," Quentin shrugged, picking up his water bottle and towel to head after his friend. "Give him time and try to convince him you're not a dick. He isn't going to just give you his trust, you have to earn it."

He started to walk away and turned back, his sweat covered shirt sticking to him in the heat, "Good luck with that by the way. It doesn't seem like you're off to a great start. "

* * *

"Hey daddy," Haley said as her father knocked on the open door to her room, "I didn't realize you guys were home yet."

Jimmy James walked in and sat on the bed next to his daughter, looking around the room that was so grown up. It seemed like only yesterday she'd had dozens of stuffed animals on her shelves and My Little Pony themed blankets on her bed. "We just got in a few minutes ago. We're going to be staying here for a while this time."

"Really?" Haley asked, bouncing onto her knees and throwing her arms around her father. "What about the Grand Canyon?"

"Your mom and I have been talking and we realized that those things will always be there, but this is our last year of having you at home," he told her, kissing her forehead. "We'll still be gone from time to time visiting your brothers and sisters, but no more sightseeing until you leave us. It's not fair to you."

"Are you sure?" Haley asked, trying to hold back her excitement. She wanted scream at the top of her lungs at the news, but couldn't help but worry they would regret their decision. "I don't want you to give up what you want for me."

"Listen Haley Bob," her father said, "our kids are the best things we have ever done. We don't want to miss any more time with you than we already have. You're too important to us and I'm sorry it took us a while to realize that. I'm sure this past year was hard on you, we don't want the next one to be the same."

"I understood," Haley said, leaning her shoulder against his, "when Aunt Carol died mom had to get away. She felt like she was running out of time and she wanted to see the world, to do the things her sister never got to."

"And all that travelling did was help us both realize the best part of that world is our family. This is the right decision," he promised her, "for all of us."

"I'm glad you're here, I really missed you," Haley said, finally letting some tears escape from her eyes.

"I miss you too. You want to go fishing with me in the morning? It'll be just like we used to do. It was always your favorite thing we did together."

"When I was 8," Haley reminded him with a playful push to his arm. "Besides, I only liked it because I got to be alone with you. If we did anything else, Taylor or Quinn tagged along."

"Well, they aren't here now. So we can do whatever you want," he told her, "except shopping. That's some form of cruel and unusual punishment designed to drive men crazy."

Haley thought back through her memories and tried to decide what would be fun, realizing some of her favorite memories were at the old cabin casting lines and just talking with her father, "You know what? I think I do want to fish."

* * *

"It's good to see you Nate," Deb said reaching out her hand as he walked over to her bedside. "I have really missed you."

He sat at her side and gave her a hug. "Pat filled me in on your treatment, but how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, but I don't want to talk about me. I want to hear about you. Last time we talked you sounded really down," she asked him, "I hate to think you're unhappy. Are things getting any better?"

"I hope so. I've met a few people to play basketball with and I've made a pretty good friend," he told her, rubbing the back of his neck, "Lucas and I also had a talk this morning. He apologized and I guess he's going to try and get along. We'll see how that goes, but I'm willing to give it a shot if he is."

Deb nodded, knowing from their phone calls that the two boys had been having problems, although most of the details remained a mystery, "I want to hear about this friend. Would it be Haley by any chance?"

"Don't say it in that voice mom," Nathan groaned at his mother's not at all subtle tease, "she's just a friend. We worked together at the cafe for a few days and she's Lucas' best friend so we've seen each other a few other times at parties and stuff. She's really easy to talk to and I enjoy her company. That's all it is. I haven't changed my mind, it's just that she's the one person there I actually feel comfortable with."

Deb searched his eyes and nodded, "well I'm glad you've at least found someone you can talk to. Did you enjoy your time with Quentin?"

"Of course," Nathan grinned. "When do I not? Once Dan went to the hotel we had a great time. I even got to see Andre. Man has that kid grown. I swear, he's going to catch both of us before long. He was all excited about this new magic trick Q taught him with a quarter..."

"And before?" she asked, bringing him back to the subject, not liking the way his eyes avoided hers. "How were things with Dan?"

Nathan shrugged, "he said something that made me mad and I stormed off. Pretty typical of our interactions actually."

"You need to give him a chance Nate. I know it's hard, but you need to try and forget about the past and concentrate on now. You need to forgive him."

"Have you?" Nathan asked hesitantly. "Have you forgiven him?"

"I have," she said, taking her son's hand in her own. "He didn't intentionally hurt us Nate. We were kids and we both made mistakes. I wish we'd both done a few things differently, but I've made peace with it. I really hope you can too."

Nathan stood up, "Don't you think I'm trying? Everything about this is so damn hard. Every time I think maybe I can let my guard down a little he says or does something that pisses me off. It's almost like he's trying to push me away."

"I'm sorry honey. I know this is difficult and I wish there were some way I could fix it for you, but you are so strong...so much more than you give yourself credit for," Deb told him. "Every time things have been hard you've fought until you found the way through, until you beat it."

"This is different," Nathan told her, "I can't just work harder or study more."

"I know. You have no idea how proud I am of you, for the kind of man you're becoming. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was important, but I really think this is worth fighting for, or in this case, I guess not fighting against. You can do this, just remember he's more bluster than bite."

He moved forward and leaned his head against her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her as he did so often when he was a little boy. He couldn't help but tear up when he realized how thin she'd gotten, but he quickly wiped them away, not wanting to burden her with his distress. She ran her fingers through his hair and closed her eyes, feeling the most complete she'd felt in a while despite the circumstances. "I'll keep trying as long as you do," he whispered, pulling back to look into her eyes. "You can't give up. I still need you so much."

"I promise I won't," she nodded, wiping away a tear before forcing a smile back onto her face. "You have a lot of life left to live and I don't want to miss a moment of it."

Nathan nodded and allowed her to move the discussion to more mundane topics until visiting hours were over. He promised to return in the morning before they left for Tree Hill and took his leave to start the walk back to his home. He was about half way when his phone rang, "Hey," he smiled, seeing the caller ID, "I didn't expect to hear from you. Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

Haley's heart melted at the concern in his voice. He was so damn thoughtful. "Everything is fine. Something just told me you could use a friend right now," she admitted, "How's your mom?"

"About the same. She wants to meet you actually. She said anyone that can get me to sustain a conversation about something other than sports deserves a medal," he told her, drawing a laugh.

She asked about Dan and he related the goings on and just as he walked up the back stairs to their apartment, she asked about Quentin, "actually, he's right here waving at me."

"It's Haley," she heard him say before there were sounds of a scuffle and then a new voice came on.

"Hello Haley," Q laughed, holding the phone out of his friend's reach. "Calling to check up on your boyfriend?"

Haley laughed, "It's pretend boyfriend actually, and I'm calling to make sure you didn't get him in too many messes. From what I hear, you're the trouble maker in the family."

"Ha," Q grinned, "he's usually the instigator. One time when we were like 10, there was this boy who was... in Junior High I think? He kept picking on these other boys our age and we couldn't just stand up to him because he was way too big, so Nathan convinced me to break into his locker and we replaced his lunch with a bag of crap from my neighbor's dog. We got tattled on and had 2 weeks of detention, which wasn't nearly as bad as my dad paddling my butt and grounding me for a month. All his fault."

"Did it at least work? The prank?" Haley asked, trying not to laugh. She could picture a younger Nathan championing other kids. With his height he was probably all knees and elbows, with long skinny limbs that grew faster than his weight could keep up with. He was probably really cute and she wished she'd known him then.

"Oh yeah," Quentin continued, "He opened it at lunch and everyone saw how bad he freaked out. He got teased for months. So, are you as hot as Nathan says? 'Cause you sound like you are."

Haley laughed and blushed, embarrassed at his candor, "Um, I don't know...I uh..."

"Give me the damn thing," she heard Nathan say as he finally wrestled the phone away, "I'm sorry," he said, his voice rough from the fight for the phone, "He's decided since I'm only here for today, he has to try and get a month's worth of being an annoying idiot into a few hours."

Haley laughed harder, imagining what was happening between the two boys. "He seems...interesting."

"Picture a 6ft3, male version of Brooke," Nathan told her. "It's scary."

"Sounds like it," Haley laughed at the ridiculous picture in her mind. "One Brooke Davis is enough for the world."

"Is she hot?" Haley could hear Q shout and wasn't proud of feeling a little jealous when Nathan murmured something in the affirmative. "I am coming with you this time man. There's no reason you should have all these fine looking women around when you're not even interested in hooking up with any of them. Maybe I should introduce them to the wonders of dark chocolate..."

"I'm going to let you go while I explain to this guy why he's not welcome," he said, obviously still goofing off with his friend. "Tree Hill doesn't need any more drama."

"Okay, I'll let you get back to...whatever you two are doing," she chuckled lightly.

"Okay...Hey Hales?" he said as she prepared to hang up, "um, thanks for calling. It means a lot that you care."

"No problem. Enjoy the rest of your visit. I'll see you when you're back," she said, hanging up and laying back on her bed. "I do care...probably more than I should."

* * *

"So how did it go?" Patrick asked Deb as he slid into the chair next to her bed, setting some of her favorite soup on the little table for her lunch. "I didn't want to come back last night, I figured you'd be tired."

"It went...okay. It's not going smoothly, but they're both trying, which I guess is all I can ask for," she explained, taking the lid off her food. "I just wish this were easier on Nathan."

"Well, Dan shouldn't have too many complaints. You've raised one hell of a son," he said, leaning back and taking a sip of his coffee. "Not many boys would be handling this as well as he is, especially since he doesn't have to. He could walk anytime he wanted."

"In a way, that only makes me feel more guilty. He's doing this for me, because I asked, but I'm afraid it's making him miserable," Deb told him.

"He knows his limits. If he was too upset, he'd come home or at least tell you. He knows how much you love him," Patrick said. "I promise, he never doubts that."

"Do you think I made a mistake letting him get emancipated?" Deb asked her friend. "It seemed like the ideal solution at the time with me in and out of the hospital so much, but I worry that maybe it just put added pressure on him. He's already had to do so much. Sometime, I feel like he's 26 rather than 16"

"Nathan is by far the most responsible kid I know. He never does anything you wouldn't be proud of," Patrick reminded her. "I think it was a good call. It has already come in handy more than once that he was able to act as an adult. What's got you worrying about this now?"

"I don't know," she hesitated, "there was just something weird about the way he acted when he was here. I can tell he's stressed and this is taking his toll on him. I've never once doubted he'd do the right thing, but I just have this strange feeling this is all going to be too much for him and he'll end up doing something crazy. The worst part is, I willingly gave up my right to stop him."

"You worry too much," he told her, reaching out and brushing a few loose curls back from her forehead. "Nathan's too smart to do anything that would jeopardize his future. You raised him to be a good, strong, honest young man. You can't let some vibe you felt shake your trust in him. The best thing you can do for him is get healthy again. If he were here, he'd tell you the same thing. All we want is for you to get better. We would both give anything for that."

"I know," she said, raising his hand to her lips. "That's part of what worries me."


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, just a note. Oak Hill is a real basketball powerhouse school (probably what Oak lake was based on in the show) and has consistently played for the national title while also sending over a dozen players into the NBA. I am trying to keep the details about the school, their record, etc as accurate as I can find (with the change that I placed Nathan on the team). Details about Kentucky, Duke, UNC, the NBA (coaches, records, schedule etc) are also as correct for that same time period as I can find.

 **Ch 12**

Haley answered her phone, laughing as the song her sister had picked for herself blared through her room. "I still can't believe you picked "Baby Got Back," for your ringtone. That seems more like something Tay would do."

"Hey, I have a nice butt," Quinn replied and Haley could picture her sister shrugging as she sat on her bed, "Taylor would probably pick something like "Promiscuous.'"

Haley laughed, but had to agree, "so what's got you calling me at 11 on a school night?"

"I needed a break from studying. I'm only taking two courses this summer, but this statistics class is killing me," Quinn said, leaning back against her bed, her legs stretched out in front of her with her ankles crossed, "I've never been as good at math as you. I don't know what I was thinking trying to squeeze it into a 6 week semester."

"You'll be okay sis," Haley told her, her pose unknowingly mirroring her sister's. "Just have faith in yourself."

"You'd be fine Miss Perfect GPA, but I'm not sure about me, "the older sister complained. "I don't know how you do it. I'm seriously struggling to have a life and keep my head above water going for a degree in journalism. You want to be a freaking doctor. I don't envy how much work you'll be doing. I still can't figure out how my baby sis ended up such a nerd."

Haley paused as she thought about what her sister said. She knew it would take a lot of time and dedication to even get into med school, but it had always been her dream to make a difference in children's lives. Ever since she'd volunteered at the hospital with her mother when she was younger, she'd wanted to be able to help people. It had never bothered her that she'd have to go through years of extra school and training. She enjoyed both and if it allowed her to help the children like those she'd seen struggling through illnesses of all kinds, then it would be well worth it.

"Some of us don't mind studying," she said. "You can call me a nerd all you want, but I want to help kids. It's something I've felt called to do."

"Well, as heartwarming as this is, I actually called to ask you about your newest pal. Mom said he's even better looking than Lucas and we both know that boy is fine," Quinn changed the subject to her intended topic of conversation. "She said on a scale of 1 to 10 he was a 12. Tall, dark, and handsome. She also said you two were close. Any chances my little sis is thinking about handing in her V-card?"

Haley shook her head at her sister's question, but couldn't disagree with her mother's judgement, "he's just a friend. Mom always blows things out of proportion."

"Okay, only from you would I actually buy that, but what about the looks? Was that exaggerated too?"

"No. He's at least a 12. He is crazy cute," Haley couldn't help but admit, "and he's got the body to match."

"I might have to make a trip back home sooner than I planned," Quinn teased, "I mean, he's what 17? I'm only 21. That's legal, right?"

"Don't even think about it," Haley snapped at her. "You sound like Taylor."

"Woah, I was just teasing, but if I'm upsetting you, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to step on any toes," her sister said, her tone more serious. "Are you interested? Because after the last one you said you were done dating for awhile."

"We're not...I'm not... I just don't want him getting hurt," Haley told her. "Besides, He's got enough on his plate with his parental drama."

"Okay good, because considering your plans, I'm surprised you date at all."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you've got your life planned out and it's not an easy road," Quinn pointed out. "I figured that knowing you, you'd carefully consider how any guy would fit into those plans before you let yourself date him. I mean, no point in getting your heart broken for something that could never work, right? I made that mistake with David and look where it left me. A semester behind and scared to go on more than two dates with any guy I meet."

"Not that I'm planning on anything, but Nathan wouldn't do that," Haley told her. "That I feel pretty sure of. He's not the cheating kind."

"I said the same of David," Quinn replied, her voice betraying how deeply hurt she still was. "Just be careful okay. I love you and I want you to be happy. I don't want you to end up where I've been this past year. You deserve so much more."

"So do you Quinny, I'm sorry you had to go through that," Haley told her. "David seemed like a great guy."

"I guess it's hard to ever truly know somebody," Quinn answered, her voice breaking up. "Oh hey, my roommate just came back and she needs me. I'll talk to you later. Just be careful, okay? You're still young, there's no rush."

* * *

Nathan walked into the kitchen and grabbed a couple pieces of pizza and a napkin off the island. He'd been making himself scarce in an attempt to avoid Karen, but that night she had some sort of boosters meeting and would be gone most of the evening. He headed for the family room and grabbed the remote before sitting down and flipping through the channels, looking for the NBA Draft.

"You going to watch the draft?" Lucas said, entering the room with his own pizza a few minutes later. "The Bobcats better pick someone good this year. They need a lot of help. Felton hasn't been as good as I'd hoped and they can't count on Wallace and Okafor to do everything."

"I'm hoping that Aldridge falls to the 3 spot, he looks like a beast," Nathan said, watching as the commentators rolled out their draft predictions. "If not, I hope they take Roy or Rondo although I guess they have bigger needs than point guard."

"Rondo? From Kentucky?" Lucas asked in surprise as Dan entered the room, having had the same idea as his sons.

"What about Rondo?" Dan asked, joining his eldest on the couch.

"Nathan thinks the Bobcats should consider him," Lucas said, picking up his pizza and taking a bite. "I wasn't that impressed when I watched them lose to UNC. I don't think he's expected to go until late first round."

"Then a lot of teams will regret it. I played with him when I was a freshman," Nathan told them, "He's crazy quick and super athletic. He's a great defender and passer. Plus, he's one of those guys that just wants it more than everyone else. I can virtually guarantee he will be a all-star level player for whoever gets him. "

"Does that seem weird? Having someone you played with in the draft?" Lucas asked, his interest peaked. "I mean, how cool is that?"

Nathan shrugged, "I guess it did the first time, but it kind of comes with the territory of playing at Oak Hill. The best player I've played with will probably be in next year's draft. Maybe even the number one pick. He's going to Texas in the fall. Watch out for that one. I'm willing to bet he'll win an MVP someday."

The three guys sat for the next three hours, talking about the players drafted, telling stories, and going through a lot of pizza. Other than the occasional run, it was the first time the three guys had spent together and without delving into anything deeper than basketball, they had enjoyed it. It had almost seemed like they were a real family.

When Karen came home, she found a messy family room and all three guys asleep with the television still on. She went to the closet and pulled out some throw blankets, quietly covering each of them with one and then sitting on the coffee table in front of Nathan and studying him. She knew he'd been avoiding her and she felt guilty that he must have sensed her frustration and thought she was upset with him. She shook her head and vowed to do better by all of them before standing and heading to bed. She was exhausted and her time to regain his trust would surely come.

* * *

"Who are you hiding from?" Haley whispered in Nathan's ear as she snuck up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

He quickly spun around, his face obviously relieved when he saw it was her. The annual Scott 4th of July barbecue was in full swing and there were people all over the grounds, although most were up by the house eating and drinking their afternoon away. The pool was a popular destination also as it was pretty packed when he'd walked by on his way out here to find a bit of quiet.

"No one in particular. I just needed a break. I felt like if one more person introduced me as Dan's other son, I would snap. I headed for the basketball court, but it was pretty busy too so I ended up here."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but that's going to keep happening," she told him, discarding her sandals and taking the seat on the swing next to him, setting it in motion. "You're a bit of a novelty right now."

Nathan watched her swing, her long hair trailing behind her and her tanned legs reaching toward the sky as she giggled like a toddler at the movement. He couldn't help but grin at her obvious enjoyment of the simple childhood pastime. If it wasn't for the toned midriff and bare legs he could almost believe she was a little girl again.

"So I guess my grandparents are supposed to be coming today. What are they like?" Nathan asked, turning to face her, "You've met them right?"

"Well, your grandma's pretty nice. I like her a lot actually and so does Lucas, but your grandpa is...well, let's just say he's intense. He makes Dan seem like a pussy cat," she told him, leaning forward and slowing her swing. "It's a good thing you play basketball. The way that man thinks, he'd probably disown you if you didn't."

"It wouldn't be the first time that happened," Nathan mumbled, straightening his shoulders as he saw Lucas venturing their way. "I should probably be happier about meeting them shouldn't I?"

Haley shrugged, "I don't think there is any right or wrong way to feel in your situation. It is what it is. You just have to forge ahead and try to do what's best for you."

"Sorry, but you've been summoned," Lucas said, his tone almost apologetic as he walked up to the duo. "The grandparents have arrived and they'd like you to join them in the kitchen."

Nathan looked up at the house and back to his brother, "Sorry, but I'm staying out here," Lucas said, placing his hands up. "I'm just glad it's not me this time."

"You'll be fine," Haley told him, reaching out and squeezing his arm as she gave her friend a death glare. "They're just normal people. I bet your grandma can't wait to meet you. You'll like her I promise."

Nathan gave her a half smile and headed toward the house and what felt like his doom. He was walking down the hall and he heard the room's occupants before he could see them. "I still don't understand how you let this happen son? How could you be so irresponsible? What has that poor little boy had to go through because of your recklessness?"

"I had no idea he even existed mom. She says she sent letters, but I never saw them. Anyway, it is what it is. He's here now and that's what's important," Dan said as Nathan arrived in the entranceway and spotted the people he assumed were Dan's parents.

"Oh my Danny, you weren't kidding," Mae Scott said, immediately coming over to her grandson and surprising him with a huge hug. "Let me look at you, you're all grown up and so handsome. It's really nice to finally meet you."

"Umm, you too Mrs. Scott," Nathan answered awkwardly, a little uncomfortable with the display from the little woman he'd never met.

"None of that now," she told him, pulling back and grabbing his hand to lead him further into the kitchen, "call me grandma or Mae."

"You look like a chip off the old block," the eldest Scott said, looking at his grandson. "Could stand to gain a few pounds though. Danny already told us you play ball. You'll get pushed around if you're not strong enough."

"Oh stop it with the sports," Mae said, moving to her husband. "Besides, he looks great. You'll have him running off if you keep talking like that."

Nathan looked back and forth between the room's three other occupants and while he could see love between them, there was some other sort of weird tension that he didn't understand too. _Wasn't anything normal around here?_

"Well it's true," Royal countered, "if he wants to get a scholarship from a good school, he needs to bulk up a little more. Maybe if he plays his cards right, he could go to UNC like his dad." Mr. Scott slapped his hand on his son's back before he turned his attention back to Nathan, "you know, your dad was a great player in his day. He might have even gone pro if he hadn't blown out his knee. It was a damn shame what happened to him. He was the best player Tree Hill has ever seen."

Nathan looked over at his father who looked as uncomfortable with the strange conversation as he felt. "Dad," Dan said, drawing his father's gaze. "Nathan's already a great player. Oak Hill is top ranked in the country."

"I did a little research before we came. Looks like he averaged 19 points a game last season," Royal continued, "he'll have to pick that up if he wants to be a Tarheel."

"He already has a scholarship to Kentucky Dad," Dan tried to stem the tide, "It's a great basketball school with lots of history."

"Well that's crap if I ever heard it. Scotts go to UNC," Royal said angrily, "always have."

Nathan felt like he was in some sort of alternate universe. In what world did someone meet their grandson for the first time and immediately set in on them about basketball? Most grandparents would be asking about what he liked to do or how he did in school instead of claiming that being one of the best players on the best team in the country wasn't good enough for them. Nathan had known from Haley that his grandfather was serious about the game, but this was overboard. Then on top of that, to think that Nathan had to choose his school based on what they wanted after only knowing them for minutes was just plain crazy.

Mae reached for her husband's arm, "it's his choice. He should do what makes him happy. What are we even talking about this for? We should be celebrating..." she tried, but he pulled away from her.

"You might be late to joining us, but there are two things we take seriously in this family. Basketball and our Tarheel tradition," Nathan's grandfather told him. "At least your mother didn't screw you up and made sure you played the game, but even she went to UNC. Surely..."

"Stop it," Nathan finally said, having listened long enough. He straightened to his full height and stepped toward the shorter man, "You don't even know me or my mother and you have no say in where I go or what I do. It's no wonder Lucas was happy to avoid you," He turned to the older woman who was staring at him in surprise. People rarely stood up to her husband and it was good to see this young man had the strength to do so.

"Mrs. Scott, it was nice to meet you. I hope we can get a chance to talk more later," Nathan said, gesturing around the kitchen, "away from this."

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Mae said as Nathan turned to walk out, "both of you. Royal, you barely met the kid and you're already bullying him about that damn game and you," she said, turning to her son. "Just stood there and let him. I thought you'd learned. I will not just stand by and let either of you hurt that kid."

"That kid just acted like a disrespectful little punk," her husband said. "There was no excuse for him speaking to his elders that way. You're going to have to take him in hand son."

"He acted like a man and If I were him, I'd have walked out too," she said, shaking her head at the two men remaining. "in fact, I think I will do just that. Enjoy your peace and quiet. The rate you're going, it's all you'll have left."

* * *

"That bad?" Lucas asked as he peeked through the open door into Nathan's room and saw his brother sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. "Sorry," he said, stepping across the threshold. "I probably should have warned you, but nothing really prepares you for the family patriarch. You have to experience it first hand to truly understand."

Nathan looked up at the words, a bit surprised at the friendly tone. The two had gotten along much better since Nathan returned from his trip, but other than playing basketball together, they hadn't talked. They both found it was easier to maintain a level of comfort when they kept things superficial, which was what made Lucas's attempt at consoling him even harder to understand.

"He's a piece of work," Nathan said with a shake of his head, deciding to play along. "I think maybe I understand Dan a little better though. It had to be tough with him as his dad."

"He really takes basketball seriously, it's almost like a religion to him," Lucas said, coming over to the bed and sitting down next to his brother, "Dad was like that for a while as I got closer to High School and we kind of had this love hate relationship for a couple of years where the training and the pressure he put me under were just too much. Eventually, my mom wouldn't put up with his crap anymore and threatened a divorce. It was rough all around for a few months while we got some counseling, but it got better. We get along great again away from basketball and even with it, he at least tries not to treat it like life or death. Although I'm sure that's tough with Grandpa constantly giving him an earful."

"It felt a bit like an ambush. I totally wasn't expecting our first meeting to even mention basketball, much less for it to be the main focus. I mean, at school it's a big deal and everyone treats it that way. It's what we're there for. But to my family, it's always been about doing something I love and respecting the game," Nathan said, "it's never felt like a prerequisite for their love or affection. It must have been hard for Dan to grow up that way."

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before it started to get awkward. "Anyway, I um, actually came to find you to see if you wanted to come with us. A bunch of us are going to go down and play some hoops at the Rivercourt while we wait for the fireworks. There's a great view from there since they shoot them up over the cape."

"I'm in," Nathan said easily, "especially if it gets me out of here."

Lucas stood and walked to the door, "do you want a ride or...?"

Nathan shook his head, "I'll meet you there. I have something I want to do first."

* * *

Nathan found his grandmother in the kitchen again, this time doing dishes. "I'm surprised you're in here by yourself."

"I wasn't feeling festive after that fiasco earlier," she told him, wiping her hands on a dry towel. "I do my best thinking when I'm busy in the kitchen. It's a habit I picked up when I was raising two rowdy boys."

Nathan nodded, remembering the times when he and Q must have driven their mother's crazy with their antics, "I'm sorry about earlier..."

"You didn't do anything Nathan. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm sorry we're just now getting to know you, that we haven't been there for you growing up. I'm sorry that when we finally get to meet you your grandfather felt the need to be that way," she walked over to him and placed her hand on his. "Don't pay any mind to a word he says. It's your life and you can't live it for anyone else. You have to do what's best for you, what makes you happy. If you don't, all you end up with is a pile of regret. Now, tell me about yourself. All I know is that you're a good basketball player and I'll tell you, that doesn't mean diddly squat to me. Tell me about Nathan the boy. What's your favorite food? I love to cook..."

* * *

Nathan arrived at the Rivercourt just as the guys were finishing up the first game of the evening and Skills immediately called dibs on him joining his team.

"If you want that boy, you better make up your mind and claim him, because those girls over there aren't planning on holding back," Brooke said, sliding onto the bleachers next to her friend. "They're all over there trying to figure out how to get him to notice them."

"He's not interested, he doesn't even date," Haley reminded her, turning her attention back to the game as Lucas hit a jump shot and she cheered.

"Honey, I don't think "date" is the word those girls are thinking of right now," Brooke said, shaking her head as the girls attempted to get his attention during a break in the action.

Haley looked at her friend, "I know you're just trying to help, but I'm asking you to stop. Nathan is free to do whatever he wants."

"So it wouldn't bother you if he hooked up with one of them?"

"I hope he has better taste than that," she said, gesturing toward the giggling girls trying to catch his eye, "but I won't try to stop him. He has enough people telling him what to do."

"What about what you want?"

"I want to enjoy this summer with my friends, graduate with honors, and go to Duke to become a doctor. A relationship would just make those things more difficult and that's the last thing I need. I'm only 16, I have plenty of time for that later. Besides, how many high school relationships last anyway?"

Brooke pulled back, her hand going to her chest, "I'm sorry," Haley said, leaning for her friend, "I don't mean you and Julian, you two are the main reason I wanted someone in the first place, because I see how great you are together. I just...for me, it doesn't make sense."

"What made you change your mind?"

"I didn't," Haley told her. "I told you from the beginning it probably wouldn't work. But I also spoke to my sister last night and while she was talking about being bogged down with her classes, I was reminded that what I want to do with my life isn't going to be easy. It's going to take a lot of time and dedication and I'm not willing to risk that for a crush. Not when I can have the best of both worlds with him as my friend."

"It won't work you know," Brooke said, shaking her head at Haley's explanation. "If you have feelings for him, you can't just decide they're not there. You can't control how you feel just because it would be more convenient, no matter how much you want to."

"That's not what I'm doing," Haley argued. "I promise. This is for the best, for both of us. It's what I want."

"I hope that's true," Brooke said, "because you don't have to actually date someone to get your heart broken."

* * *

The guys had finished playing and the group was all getting settled to watch the fireworks. Brooke and Julian had spread out a blanket on the lawn as had a few other couples. Some of the guys were just sitting around, either on the grass or bleachers and Nathan had taken a seat on the top of a picnic table before being surrounded by 3 girls, including Rachel, who Haley was sure were vying to sit there with him.

She breathed a sigh of relief when he sent all three of them away and then mentally scolded herself for the reaction. She'd meant what she said to Brooke earlier, but the follow through wasn't quite as easy as the resolution had been. She saw that Lucas was also sitting by himself and after looking for and not seeing Peyton, headed over to join him.

"Where's your girlie?" she teased, playfully bumping into his shoulder.

"We got into an argument and she went home," he said, leaning back and looking up at the sky. A frown darkened his face and she could tell this wasn't just one of their normal spats. "I don't know what to do."

"Well, what happened?" Haley grabbed a blanket to cover her legs and settled herself in for what she figured would be a long conversation.

"She got this internship with a major record label," Lucas began. "It's a big opportunity for her."

"That's great, I know how excited she must be," Haley said, "She's been hoping for something like this. I know she really wants to get into that business after we graduate. Aren't you happy for her?"

"Yeah, but it starts next week and she just told me about it," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "She's going to be heading to LA for a month and she hid it from me. Doesn't that seem like something important you'd share with your boyfriend?"

"Maybe she was afraid you wouldn't understand," Haley tried to defend the blonde. She knew Lucas was feeling betrayed, but was also pretty sure Peyton hadn't meant to hurt him.

"Well, she's right, I don't. Not now, when she just dumps it on me a few days before she has to leave," he grumbled. "I don't even have time to get used to the idea and she'll be gone. Then she wants to go back out there after we graduate and I'll still be here in North Carolina. How's that going to work?"

"If you really love her, you'll find a way," Haley told him, her heart going out to him at his obvious hurt. "Lots of people make long distance work, and it's not forever. I mean, this first time it's only a little while. You can talk and text. It'll be like a practice for if she does go after we graduate."

"I just keep thinking that maybe I should have listened to my dad. He's not exactly the best go to for relationship advice, but it seems like he was right this time. High School relationships are stupid. We all have different plans and different dreams. How are we supposed to stay together with all those things pulling us apart?"

"I don't know," Haley said, looking across the way at Nathan. She had her heart set on Duke for the next at least 6 years and he was determined to go to Kentucky and then the NBA. Even if he didn't go back to Virginia in the fall, those things wouldn't change and reaffirmed her decision to stay just friends. "I guess it depends on how much you love the person and how much you're willing to sacrifice to stay together."

"It just seems so hard," Lucas complained, tears welling in his eyes. "Is it supposed to be this way?"

"Sometimes, people have to go through things that test them. Maybe this will show you that you aren't meant to be or maybe it will make you stronger. Your parents went through a lot worse than this and they made it."

"And look what a mess they made in the process," Lucas said, gesturing toward his brother. "Not exactly a shining example."

"I didn't say it was always easy," Haley reminded him. "I think you should go talk to her. I'm sure she's upset too. I know that this can't be easy for her either."

"Thanks Hales, and maybe you should go talk to Nathan," Lucas said, levering himself up. "After how his first meeting with Grandpa went, he could probably use a friend. I tried, but we're not exactly close."

Haley walked over and sat next to Nathan on the bench and neither one of them spoke for a few minutes as the fireworks started, "you know, this is the first year I haven't watched these with my mom. Even last year, she was out of the hospital long enough for us to watch together." He paused and watched for another minute, "It feels like I'm losing her. Every time something happens that I normally do with her and we miss it, it's like she's slipping further from my reach."

"I'm so sorry Nathan," Haley said, moving closer to him, "I can't imagine how you must feel. Last year my parents got in a RV and started travelling the country. I mean, they were still home sometimes, but not nearly as much as they used to be and I sort of felt the same way, like I was losing them. The only thing that helped me be strong was that I always knew they'd be coming back at some point. I guess you don't really have that guarantee do you?"

"Does anyone?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "Just because they were planning on coming back doesn't mean it wasn't okay to miss them, or to wish they were home more," Nathan told her. "There are times when I wish I hadn't gone away to school, that I can't help but think that I could have had 2 more years of spending every day with her instead of being away."

"You couldn't know what was going to happen," Haley told him, "you were practically a kid. "

Nathan stared out at the water, the brilliant colors reflecting off the surface. "Did you tell them that it was hurting you?"

Haley paused for a moment, figuring out what he meant, before he helped her, "them being gone all the time."

"No, but I think they figured it out, or maybe they were feeling the same way. They're actually going to be staying home for a while this time. I even spent the whole day with my dad a couple days ago for the first time in a years. I think I forgot how close we used to be. I love my mom, but I've always been a daddy's girl."

"My mom and I have always been super close. She's been everything to me, but my 17th birthday is next week and it'll be the first one I've spent away from her. We've never really had the money to do anything big but at least we've always been together. It's going to be hard being away."

"Why don't you go visit? It's not that far," Haley reasoned, knowing if he brought it up that it must be bothering him.

"We just went. I doubt Dan is up for going again so soon, and I don't have a car," Nathan reminded her., brushing off her concern "She's in the hospital anyway, she doesn't need to be worrying about doing something for me. Dan said we'd have a cake or something here."

"But it's not what you'd prefer," Haley prodded a little further.

"Maybe not," Nathan said, "but if there's one thing I've learned in my life, it's that we don't always get what we want. We just have to do the best we can with what we've got."

"Well, don't give up. Sometimes it's possible to have it both ways, if we try.


	13. Chapter 13

My kids' snow days have been reeking havoc on my schedule, but I've gotten a little writing done while stuck inside. Hope you enjoy.

 **Ch 13**

"So she really snuck into your room?" Haley laughed, dipping her french fry in ketchup as they ate together at the cafe. Nathan had come to have lunch and hangout with his friend as her shift was about to end. It was something they'd done almost every day since he came back from Virginia and one they both looked forward to.

"I swear. I was on my way back from shooting around in the gym and there's this big commotion in the hall near my room. Apparently, Q got back to the room first and without turning on any lights or anything, just got undressed and climbed in the shower. A couple minutes later, the girl pulled back the curtain and was surprised to find a different guy than she expected behind it. She started screaming and all of a sudden there's this huge group of people in the hallway gawking. It was seriously hilarious."

"That's just crazy," Haley shook her head, "I mean, not that girls would want to be with you, that I can see, but that they'd go so overboard to try."

"Thanks, I think..." Nathan smirked, as he stole a fry off her plate. "It wasn't because they actually wanted me though, it was because of a bet. "

Haley tilted her head to the side in confusion. "A bet?"

"At the beginning of the year there was this girl who...let's just say she was used to getting what she wanted. She decided she wanted me and when I told her I wasn't interested, she took it personally and started some pretty nasty rumors. Those were fairly easy to dispel, but they eventually turned into a bet that if anyone could get a compromising picture with me and get me kicked out of school, they would get $500."

"So the girl in the shower..."

"Was just trying to get a picture," Nathan explained. "I was serious when I told you I don't usually tell people that I don't date anymore, even though it's true. Between the stupid bet and girls taking it as a challenge, it caused more than one mess last year. I was really lucky that time, If I'd been caught with that girl in the dorm, I would have lost my scholarship. They aren't even allowed in the building."

"So what happened to the girls?"

"Well, the one from the shower got suspended and her parents were so embarrassed, they pulled her out of school. The other girl's parents moved to France during Christmas break and she followed them to a school over there. "

"So she didn't get in trouble?

"We all knew who was behind it, but her dad was some sort of high powered attorney so the school couldn't do anything without absolute proof. No one that had the right kind of knowledge would go against her so yeah, she got away with it."

"Sounds like boarding school is way more interesting than regular high school," Haley pushed her plate to the side, leaning back in her chair.

"Nah, it's the same stuff, it's just harder to hide anything because everyone lives so close together. A lot of the kids didn't like that you know, sharing rooms and being so close to each other. Most of them were rich and were used to sprawling mansions and even in some cases servants. They didn't like having to do our own chores and follow the strict rules."

"But you like it?" Haley asked, tilting her head to the side. It sounded kind of crazy to her and she wasn't sure she'd want to be away from her family.

"It's a great school. I get to play basketball on a real court any time I want, live with my best friend, and have national scouts at my every game. On top of that, we have a great program and get to play for the national championship. If it were closer to my mom, it would be perfect."

Haley smiled, glad that he had found somewhere that made him happy and grateful that Dan had offered to help him keep that place in his life. She wished that she saw her school in the same way. Sometimes, she felt totally disconnected from her world, like she wasn't where she belonged, or something vital was missing from her existence. "It sounds great. I'm glad you like it there. So...um...what's with you practically inhaling your food? Every time we've had lunch lately you've acted like you were starved."

"I've been running more. I decided to quit messing around and went back to 10 miles like I do in season," he answered, finishing off his burger. "It feels good to push it again."

"Don't you eat a huge breakfast too?" Haley asked, amazed as he started on his side salad.

"I haven't really been eating much for breakfast," he answered without looking up. "By the time I get back Karen has already left so I've just been eating cereal or whatever else I can find."

Haley nodded skeptically. His answer seemed logical, but the way he was avoiding her eyes made her think there was more to the story.

"What about you? How do you manage to float between the levels of social status in high school?" Nathan asked, trying to change the subject. "You're a self proclaimed nerd, you're best friends with both a jock and a cheerleader, and I saw at the party that you seem to be friends with at least one person from every other group."

Haley grabbed her mint-chocolate milk shake and took a drink while she thought about her answer. "I don't know really, I never thought about it. Obviously, the nerd part comes naturally and I've been friends with Luke since we were young, before the groups really formed. He was the one that got me to be closer to Brooke and I guess everyone else is either someone I know because of them or from having classes with them and just being friendly."

She set down her drink, her fingers tracing the rim, "There are definitely some people I don't get along with, but for the most part, I guess it just is what it is. Most of the popular people don't feel like I'm on their level so they don't worry about me taking their place and the unpopular people are a little in awe that one of their own is accepted in the rarified circles. It's all weird and kind of complicated."

Nathan could understand what she meant by complicated, "I get it. I'm a scholarship student so I don't have the kind of money that most of the other students there do, but I'm also a star on their nationally ranked basketball team so that makes me popular. It's a weird conundrum for them. As a basketball player, they cheer for me and want to be around me, but as a person, the ones that know my background can't help but look down on me as the poor kid."

Haley thought he was at least partially wrong on his assessment. She didn't doubt that the other students treated him differently away from the court, but she figured the girls probably thought of him as the good-looking guy they'd love to date but their parents wouldn't approve of and the boys were probably more jealous of the girls interest than bothered by his lack of money. Either way though, she was a little surprised to note that he wasn't at all upset by his admission. He was as confident of his place in his world as he seemed any other time except when emotions came into play. It was then that he seemed almost like a lost little boy and made her just want to wrap him in her arms.

"So where did Alex fit in?" Nathan asked, breaking her train of thought. "I mean, unless you have a jackass group, I don't know where he would be classified."

Haley couldn't help but laugh at his comment, "I guess he was a bit like me. He was on the swim team, so he was an athlete, but he was also big into drama and choir so he had to straddle the social lines too. I guess maybe that's one of the things that drew me to him. That feeling that he understood."

Nathan tilted his head to the side, sensing she wasn't done and waiting for further explanation. "Except he didn't?"

"Not really. There's a certain level of popularity that comes with being friend's with the people I am. I'm invited to all the parties and talk to all the 'cool' people, even if I'm not necessarily one of them," Haley admitted. "I think he liked that being with me gave him entrance to all of that, but he didn't really see me, just what I brought to him, including introducing him to his new girlfriend."

"Wow, that really sucks," Nathan told her, "if I'd known, maybe I would have said something to his date too. Where was she while he was bothering you anyway?"

"Apparently puking her guts out on the back deck," Brooke said, stepping around Nathan's chair and sliding into the booth next to her friend. "Seems she can't hold her liquor." She reached out and took a few remaining fries off of Haley's plate. "I'm glad to find you two here. A group of us are going to the big carnival in Wilmington tonight. We thought you might like to come. It'll be our last chance to be a group before P. Sawyer leaves."

"I don't know Brooke," Haley started to protest, "you guys always try to convince me to go on the rides, even though you know they scare the crap out of me, and there's always clowns there..."

"Come on Haley, " Brooke whined. "We go every year. It's tradition."

"It's torture," Haley disagreed, shaking her head. "You have Julian this year, make him ride stuff with you and let me skip."

"But it won't be the same," Brooke argued, sticking out her lower lip, "Who's going to split the cotton candy with me and help me make fun of Lucas when he gets sick on the spinny rides?"

"I'm sure Julian will have no problems helping you tease Luke," Haley laughed at her friend's pouty expression, "and you usually eat most of the cotton candy."

"Please?" Brooke pleaded, "I bet we could convince Hero Boy here to come protect you from those scary clowns."

Nathan was leaning back and watching the girls converse. It was fascinating watching Brooke slowly wear down Haley's resistance and he wondered if she ever stood firm with her friend and what level of desperation it would take to drive her to do so.

Haley looked over at Nathan, silently asking his opinion. Brooke was right in that it would be a lot more fun if he attended. "What do you say?"

"I haven't been to a carnival since I was a kid, but it could be fun. I'm assuming Lucas is okay with you asking me?" he checked with Brooke, "I'm not going to start another war with him when we're just starting to get along."

"He said it was fine as long as he didn't have to ride anything with you, or Julian either. Apparently one guy with long legs is enough for those little seats," Brooke answered. "Besides, he wants to spend as much time as he can with Peyton since she's leaving in a couple days."

"Then I'm in if Haley is," Nathan smiled at his friend, noticing her stubbornness. "Come on, you're the one that said I spend more time with Lucas and this sounds like it could be fun."

"Ugh, fine," she gave in, turning to Brooke, "but if I start having clown nightmares again, you are so sleeping at my house until they go away."

"Of course," Brook waved away the threat, "this is so awesome," she squealed, clapping her hands in glee. "I know we'll have a great time." She stood, grabbing the last fry off Haley's plate and sticking it in her mouth, "I have to go talk to a couple more people. I'll call you in a little while with details."

* * *

Nathan looked around as they walked from the parking lot and noticed the people had naturally paired off, Julian and Brooke, Lucas and Peyton, Jake and Skills, and surprisingly Tim and Rachel (who had shown up with him, to everyone else's dismay), leaving him with Haley.

"So what's with the clown thing?" Nathan asked as the group walked onto the park grounds where the temporary carnival was set up. "Aren't they supposed to make people smile?"

"I've just always been scared of them, with their creepy grins and huge red noses. The guys tease me about it all the time, but ugh, I can't help it. Just thinking about it is making my skin crawl."

"Do you remember when Tim's mom rented the clowns for his birthday party?" Jake asked, walking alongside of them. "I thought you were going to hyperventilate."

"That was horrible," Haley shivered in remembrance. "I got so upset that I threw up on one of their big creepy shoes."

"But not before you freaked out and fell into the dessert table. I thought Tim was going to cry when he saw his cake all smushed up on the ground," Skills added. "You're always such a klutz."

"I don't know what my step-mom was thinking anyway," Tim chimed in, "I was twelve, way too old for that kind of party."

"You know you were the one who asked for the balloon animals," Brooke shook her head, "who did you think was going to make them?"

"I don't know, but not an entire troop of clowns," Tim protested. "They were everywhere. I just wanted the cute little rubber animals."

Nathan laughed right along with the others at the boy's pouting statement, but noticed that Haley was strangely quiet as the others continued to reminisce about previous parties. It seemed maybe she wasn't as happy to remember as the others were.

It seemed strange to him how everyone in Tree Hill seemed so entwined in each other's lives. The only person he had in his life that would allow that kind of long time teasing would be Quentin. In fact, he didn't think there was anyone else he'd known at all for more than a few years.

The group stood just inside the gate and looked around, trying to decide what to do first. There were games of skill and chance, rides, typical carnival shows like the bearded lady and magic shows, along with tons of food.

Of course, the first thing the group wanted to do was go into the funhouse. Haley refused to go in, so Nathan volunteered to stay out with her. The two wandered around for a while before Haley decided she wanted ice cream. "Mint chocolate?" Nathan teased her as she ordered her favorite. "Is that all you ever get? You already had it once today."

"Because it's sooo good," she told him, offering him a bite that he declined. "Oh come on, live a little. Don't you like ice cream?"

Nathan shrugged, "I do, I just haven't had it that often. When I was little, it wasn't something we spent our money on and as I've gotten older, I mostly stay away from sweets for the sake of training. No matter how much I work out, I can't just eat whatever I want."

"Well, you don't know what you're missing," she told him, holding up her cone. "Just one bite?"

"Okay, fine," Nathan made a show of rolling his eyes as he leaned in for a taste before retreating and licking his lips, "Not bad. It's no Rocky Road, but it's pretty good."

"Whatever you say mister," she laughed, playfully pushing his arm, "the only thing better than Mint Chip ice cream is chocolate chip cookie dough. I usually save that for when I really need comforting though. It's even less healthy than the ice cream."

Nathan watched her continue eating for another minute, "They're probably done," he said, looking at his watch, "we should get back."

"Oops, I didn't realize it's been so long. Let's cut through here," she said, gesturing to an alley of sorts between a big tent and a building that held the public restrooms. "It'll be faster than going all the way around."

He hesitated and she reached for his hand, pulling him behind her, "come on you big sissy."

They were almost to the other main concourse when someone exited the tent, nearly bumping into them. Turning, Haley screamed in terror and jumped into Nathan's arms, her legs around his waist and her head buried in his neck.

"Whoa," he stumbled at the unexpected armful, barely able to right himself, "what the hell?" He turned and realized what precipitated the attack as he saw a couple clowns walking away from them. "You weren't kidding were you?" he said, holding his arms around her. He noticed she was shaking and his voice became gentle as he rubbed his hands up and down her back, "Hey, it's okay. They're gone."

She lowered her legs to the ground, but still stayed pressed against his chest, "I really hate them."

"I can see that," he said, brushing her hair back from her face. It would be funny if she weren't so obviously distressed. "You're fine."

"No I'm not," she whispered, not willing to look at him, "I'm not scared anymore, but now I feel like an idiot."

This time Nathan did chuckle, "you're not an idiot. Everyone has things they're scared of. Yours just happens to be a little... odd."

Haley pulled away, just noticing that she'd smashed the remnants of her ice cream cone against his chest. "Oh, my... I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."

Nathan laughed, "are you making this a habit now Hales? If you don't like my clothes, you can just tell me. Of course this time you got yourself too."

She looked down and saw some ice cream had indeed gotten on the front of her shirt as well. "Damn."

"It's okay, at least we match," Nathan offered, seeing that she was upset.

"Ha ha funny man," Haley stuck her tongue out at him before reaching down and pulling her shirt over her head, leaving her in a tight white tank top that Nathan couldn't help but notice fit her like a glove. "Here, give me yours too and I'll see what I can do in the restroom."

"I don't have a shirt underneath," he told her, his voice raspy, "I'll just... uh, I can clean it myself."

They disappeared into their respective bathrooms and a few minutes later they each returned, "I think I got most of mine out, but it looks like yours didn't turn out so well," Haley said when they came out and there was still a large mark on Nathan's baby blue polo.

"It's not a big deal," Nathan told her, "I've dealt with a lot worse."

Haley shook her head, "No, it's my fault, I'll take care of this," she said, grabbing his hand and dragging him back the way they'd just come. She walked over to tent with a few tables inside, "what size?"

"Huh?"

"I'm buying you a shirt," she told him, "it's the least I can do. Besides, it'll be a nice souvenir and I won't have to come up with something to get you for your birthday." He looked down at the shirt she'd already grabbed that said Tree Hill Ravens in white and blue on the black background and realized they were at a Ravens Booster Club stand.

"Go ahead and try it on," the saleswoman, presumably a mother of one of the students, told him.

Shrugging, he pulled his polo back off. Haley couldn't help but admire the view, moving to stand in front of the other woman when she realized she was doing the same.

"It's a little snug," he said, stretching his arms over his chest, "I usually wear them looser."

"I'd be happy to help you try the next size," the woman spoke up hopefully. "It's no problem."

Haley turned and gave her a dirty look and then looked back at her friend. It was true that the shirt was a little tighter than he normally wore, but it looked great stretched across his muscular torso and she couldn't regret that sight. "I think it looks great. We'll take it."

They exited the tent and quickly found their friends walking along the boardwalk, "Damn" Rachel said as they rejoined the group. "I wish the guys that actually went to Tree Hill looked like that. Unfortunately, they don't," she said, purposely throwing a look over at Tim who'd wandered off to look at a candy stand.

"Doesn't seem to stop you from whoring yourself for them anyway," Brooke chimed in, glaring at the redhead. "Apparently you don't have any standards."

"You've got a lot of nerve you little hussy..." Rachel started to move toward Brooke before Peyton stepped in.

"Shut up Rachel. You weren't even invited. We only let you tag along because of Tim," she told the redhead. "If you're going to be a bitch, you can leave now."

Rachel looked around at the group and seeing no one was coming to her defense, she huffed but didn't say anything else and the group moved on, "So what's up with the shirt Hero boy?" Brooke asked.

"We went down this path..." Haley started to explain.

Nathan realized everyone, including Rachel, was listening and cut her off, "and I got startled and spilled something on my shirt. Haley was nice enough to help me pick out a new one."

"Yeah," Haley said softly, realizing what he'd done in deflecting the attention. He must have noticed she was a little sensitive about being teased. Although she knew they weren't trying to be mean, sometimes they took it a little too far and it bothered her, especially when it was about her clumsiness. "You know me, always helpful."

"That sounds more like something Haley would do," Rachel said snidely. "She's such a spaz, always messing things up."

"We all have our klutzy moments," he said, sending Haley a wink before turning back to the redhead. "Some of us can even handle things not going right without acting like a bitch."

break

"Hey Tim," Rachel said, wrapping her hands around his arm, "Why don't you win me one of those big bears up there?"

Tim gave her a big goofy grin that had the other guys shaking their heads and walked over to the basketball game. "You know it's rigged right?" Lucas told him as their goofy friend as pretended to stretch and get himself ready. "It's a lot harder than it looks."

"Don't worry about The Tim," he waved Lucas off, "I got this. They don't call me Superstar Smith for nothing."

"They don't call you that at all," Jake whispered, causing the others to giggle as Lucas stepped back and gestured that his friend had the floor. They stood there as a group, all of them watching as Tim missed all 5 of his shots.

"This game cheats!" he yelled as the last shot clanged off the rim, causing all of the guys in the group to laugh as he threw a little tantrum. "It's not fair."

"That's okay Timmy," Rachel reassured him, "I'm sure none of these other guys could win me that big pink bear either."

"I sure as hell could," Skills said, unknowingly taking her bait as he stepped up to the game and paid for his shots. "I ain't called Skills for nothin'."

He managed to make 2 of the shots and won a small prize. Jake decided to take his turn and he made 1 of the 5. Lucas and Nathan looked at each other and decided to join in. Lucas made 3 and chose a stuffed black puppy from the medium size that he thought Peyton would enjoy. He hoped she would take it with her on her trip to remind her he was missing her.

It was Nathan's turn to shoot and as he saw Brooke and Peyton return from getting their drinks he wasn't sure this was a good idea anymore. He was too competitive to miss on purpose, but he didn't want to cause any problems by showing anyone up either. He looked over at Julian who held his hands up in front of him, "I don't play."

"Come on Nate," Rachel said, "Last one up hot shot."

Nathan walked up and handed the man his money before sizing up the rim. He'd watched the other guys, especially Lucas, and it was pretty clear that the rim was smaller than normal, but not as obvious was that it was also about 6 inches higher than usual, causing most of the shots to be either short, or long in the attempt to compensate.

He took a shot and despite having thought he adjusted, missed the first one before making the next 4 in a row. The carnie clapped and the others, even Lucas, congratulated him on his skill. He looked over and saw the guy pulling down the giant pink bear Rachel was pointing to and realized he'd gotten caught up in the competition and forgotten all about the reason they'd started in the first place.

"No," he spoke up. He wasn't sure what Rachel was up to, but he knew he didn't want her walking around and bragging about the bear he'd won her. Allowing her to even pretend he was interested in her wasn't something he wanted. "I want that one." He pointed to a medium size super soft brown bear with a blue bow around its neck. Seeing Haley standing off to the side, he reached out and handed her the bear.

"I thought you won that for me?" Rachel pouted, purposely pushing her chest out as she walked over to them. "You don't have to give it to her, it's not like you're together."

"No, you're right, but you're with Tim and I don't ever cross the line by flirting with another guy's date," Nathan told her, turning back to Haley. Rachel crossed her arms and went back over toward Tim and Nathan leaned in closer to whisper in Haley's ear, "I thought maybe he could help protect you from the clowns when I'm not around."

Haley rolled her eyes but pulled the bear against her chest in appreciation anyway, "Thanks. He's really cute."

"Aren't you going to win me anything?" Brooke asked Julian, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Not at any of these games, but later I can..." he leaned down and whispered something in her ear that made her start to giggle and throw her arms around his neck. She gave him a short, but passionate kiss, pulling back with a huge smile. "Who wants a stuffed animal anyway?"

* * *

"We are so going to the fortune teller," Brooke broke out, grabbing Peyton and Haley by the arms. "You guys can just do...guy things until we get back."

"Come on Brooke, you don't really believe in this stuff, do you?" Haley asked, pulling her arm free as they approached the tent.

"They always just say something generic that would work for anyone," Peyton agreed, "like you'll soon experience a scary event...blah blah blah. Of course you will, scary things happen every day."

"I might agree with you on some imposters, but I will have you know that Madame Zelda is very good," Brooke pulled open the tent and half dragged her friends inside. "She's the real deal. You'll see."

Haley looked around the inside of the tent. It was mostly bare and dark except for some candles on each side of the table and a glowing glass ball in the center of it.

"Oh come on," Peyton laughed at the setup, "there is no way I'm buying this."

An older woman all in black with silver streaked hair entered from a flap in the back. "Brooke," she smiled, holding our her beringed hands, "it's so good to see you. Did you take my advice?"

"I did," Brooke grinned, her dimples showing even in the limited light. "You were right, I just needed to open my heart. I'm so happy I listened to you."

Haley and Peyton met each other's gaze and rolled their eyes at the display. They loved their friend, but sometimes she was a little on the gullible side. Unfortunately, they knew that was the kind of person that were preyed upon by people who claimed to know the future.

"I see you've brought me some skeptics," Madame Zelda stepped toward the other two girls, quickly appraising them, "If you let me read for you, I can promise you will change your mind."

"No thanks," Haley said, shaking her head and taking a step back toward the exit, "I'm good."

"Come on Haley," Brooke reached for her friend's hand again, "you'll understand once you give it a chance. Please? I'll even pay for it."

"Brooke, I don't..." Haley tried to protest, but gave in at the sight of Brooke's pleading face. "Fine," she said, letting herself be placed in the seat in front of the table before she caught Peyton's eyes and shrugged as if to say she didn't have a choice.

"You have to really try," Brooke scolded her for her obvious skepticism, "or it won't work."

"I'm giving it a chance," Haley promised, allowing the woman to take her hands in her own. "I can't just make myself believe it."

The woman turned Haley's hands over and looked at them, tracing them with her fingernail before flipping them back over and holding them inside her own once more. "I need the other two to leave," the she said after a moment. "They are clouding my view."

Brooke started to protest, but Peyton pulled her out of the tent, glad to be out in the light again. The whole atmosphere in there had creeped her out and the incense had made her light headed.

"I can see you are conflicted," the woman told Haley after another couple of minutes. "You often feel as if you don't belong and yet, you are surrounded on all sides by people who care for you and don't understand what you need."

Haley narrowed her eyes at this opening salvo. She didn't believe in telling the future or reading palms, but she had to admit to being impressed with the woman's intuition on such a short introduction.

"You are going to go through some major life changes this year," she continued and Haley couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was almost 17, of course she was going through major life events. They all were. Couldn't this woman come up with something better than that?

"One of them will devastate you, but the other will bring you hope through your pain," she told the young girl.

"What's going to hurt me?" Haley asked, not liking the path this was taking. "Is something going to happen to me?"

" I can feel the intense pain of loss. Someone you care strongly about is going to leave you," the woman answered.

Haley thought about Peyton, knowing she'd be leaving soon but also realizing her departure would bring more pain to Lucas than to her. Her thoughts then traveled to Nathan, knowing he was going to leave at the end of the summer. Could that be it? She knew she cared for him now, more than she admitted, but would it grow to the level it would devastate her by summer's end? She realized that if she didn't fully convince herself to keep their relationship platonic that it probably could. Her feelings were already growing for the handsome dark haired Scott against her will.

"Is there anything else you can see?" Haley asked, finding herself being drawn into the woman's web.

"There is happiness too," she reassured the younger girl, "but my vision keeps coming back to the hurt. You will desperately need to lean on those that love you most. They will help you through it."

"Nothing else?"

The woman shook her head for a moment, "I don't know why, but I keep coming back to the number 23. I'm not sure if it's a date or an age maybe, that is unclear, but something about that number is very significant to your future. Don't ignore it's appearance."

* * *

The group had been at the carnival for hours and despite Rachel's often annoying comments, they had all had a good time. Despite all the fun they were having, it was getting late and the group decided to go on the Ferris wheel as their last ride. Tim declined because he'd had way too much to eat and thrown up after the twister and Jake and Skills both offered to stay with him. Haley was also planning on staying with them when she realized that left Rachel and Nathan as the last pair.

"I'm glad I'll have a big strong guy like you up there with me if I get scared," Rachel purred, grabbing his arm and wrapping herself around it. "I probably will, so don't be surprised if I sit real close."

Nathan pulled his arm away and looked at Haley pleadingly. She groaned in dismay. She hated the Ferris Wheel and hadn't been on it in years. All their friends knew and hadn't even tried to convince her, but Nathan looked so miserable at the thought of enduring the ride with the redhead. "Sit too close to who?" she found herself saying as moved next to him to join the line, "Nathan is riding with me."

Rachel crossed her arms, "you can't just butt in like that Shorty."

"Actually, I asked Haley to ride with me earlier," Nathan told her. "I was really hoping she would."

Rachel looked around and everyone else seemed to agree so she stomped her foot and walked off to go stand near Jake. She couldn't believe the nerve of these people. Didn't they understand who they were messing with? She'd have to find a different way to get close to Nathan, preferably one that didn't allow Haley to be anywhere in the area.

"Thanks for saving me," Nathan said as they moved up in line.

"I can see now why Brooke hates her," Haley whispered, "but you might not be thanking me when we get up there. I really hate this ride."

"Then don't go," he suggested, not wanting her to suffer just for his sake. "I'll survive one ride with her or I can just stay down here with you."

"No, it's okay. I know you wanted to ride and it's time I get over it anyway, right?"

"Are you sure?" he looked at her in concern. "I don't want you to do something that will upset you."

"I'm sure it'll be okay," she took a deep breath as she looked up toward the swinging seat suspended at the top of the wheel. "This time will be different, I'll have you up there with me"

It was too quickly their turn and they climbed up onto the ride which started to rise as they put more people on. It wasn't long before they were paused at the top, the small seat swinging gently in the breeze. "Talk to me," Nathan said, noticing she was starting to freak out. He reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "What are your dreams?"

"I want to help kids," she said, keeping her eyes closed. "That's what I dream of doing someday. I want to be a doctor to make a difference in kid's lives."

"I'm not surprised," Nathan said, "it's so you to pick a future based on helping other people. It makes my dreams feel a little selfish. They're all about me."

"No," Haley said, opening her eyes and looking at him, "don't think that. Maybe athletes don't directly help people, but they entertain them, they give them hope and happiness. I've seen some players come into the children's ward and make those kids so happy just by being there with them. Besides, think of all the good you could do with the kind of salary you'll probably have. There are lots of ways to help people."

Nathan smiled at her response, "you really should be a psychologist. I doubt anyone could ever stay depressed with you around. You always know just the right thing to say."

"I don't know about that," Haley said shyly, forgetting where they were and turning away. "I don't...Oh God. We are really freaking high."

"Haley, look at me, not at the ground.," Nathan said, tugging gently on her hand, "I'm right here."

Haley squeezed her eyes shut and her breathing started to speed up, "Haley, try to calm down...just breathe slowly. You're safe. I promise to protect you."

Haley turned, taking a couple deep breaths before slowly opening her eyes. "I'm sorry," she responded, trying to act normal and at the same time making sure she didn't look down again as she fought to keep her breathing under control. "Thanks for coming to my rescue. It's nice to know chivalry isn't dead."

"No, I mean it," he said, drawing her gaze to his focused blue eyes. He reached his arm around her shoulders and she moved close into his side, her cheek pressed against his chest, "I know you're scared, but you're safe with me... I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"I know," she said, closing her eyes again and enjoying the safety of his embrace. She could feel his heartbeat against her face and smell the comforting scent of what she'd laughingly called Eau de Nathan in her diary. She was high above the ground in one of her most feared places, yet she'd never felt safer than in that moment. She looked up and her eyes met his. They looked almost black from the dark in the night , not the sparkling blue she was used to and she wondered if it was a hint to her future. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but wonder about what Madame Zelda had said. She felt safe, but what if it was her heart that needed protected, not from falling from this height, but from falling for him? How could he protect her from that?


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted. I really hate taking long to get the next one up, but I had a crazy week and then it was capped off when my laptop stopped charging and died with all my work on it. I had to wait for a new part and then my husband had to take it apart and fix it. Not fun. Anyway, I finally got to do a quick edit and get this up. Hopefully I'll be able to do better on the next one but my dad is having hip replacement surgery this week so I can't promise anything. At least this chapter is long, should help make up for the wait.

 **Ch 14**

Nathan walked down the stairs, still wiping the sleep from his eyes. The previous night he'd gotten caught up in a book that Patrick loaned him and stayed up way too late reading. The man had surprised him during their visit with the book about sports and perseverance, telling Nathan that he was "doing research" to try and understand him better. While Nathan laughed a little at the thought, the sentiments behind it were touching and the man was right, the book was very good.

He stumbled into the kitchen to find that Dan was already up, whistling as he drank a cup of coffee, and the thought crossed his mind that he hoped he didn't usually look so annoyingly chipper in the morning.

"Good morning," Dan said his voice bright as he set down his newspaper. "I'm glad you're up. I have something I want to show you before Lucas comes down."

Nathan nodded groggily, covering a yawn as he followed his father outside, where the sun was just starting to rise. It was already humid, despite the early hour, and he wondered just how hot it was going to be later.

"Here it is," Dan said, walking over to the car parked in the driveway and gesturing toward it.

Nathan looked around and then back to the black convertible, wearily moving closer to peer down into the seat, shaking his head as confusion settled in, "I don't see anything."

"No, the car," Dan said, rolling his eyes at his son's obliviousness. "It's yours, for your birthday tomorrow."

Nathan looked back at the car and then back at Dan, suddenly wide awake. He knew his father had money and was even half owner of a dealership, but he hadn't seen this coming. His head started to shake before he could form any words, "I can't accept this."

"What do you mean?" Dan asked in surprise. He hadn't been sure what to expect from his youngest son, but it certainly hadn't been...anger? He didn't understand how such a generous gift could make the boy mad, but then he didn't understand much about the young man before him.

"You can't buy me," Nathan told him, his tone defeated as he looked back at his father. "We've been getting along better lately and I was starting to think maybe you weren't so bad and...and maybe I could even...but this...you just don't get it" he stumbled, turning away from the gift. "You can't just buy something expensive for the poor kid and expect him to fall at your feet in gratitude. That's not how I work. I don't want your money, that's not why I'm here..."

"Nathan...stop...this isn't anything like you're thinking. I swear. It's your birthday gift," he tried to turn the tide of his son's thoughts. When Nathan didn't argue, he took that as a sign to continue. "When Lucas turned 16, I bought him a car because he's my son and I love him. I wasn't there for your 16th, and you have no idea how much I regret that, but I am here for this one and I want to do the same for you. That's all this is. Please let me do that for you, let me be your Dad. I swear, it's not an attempt to buy you."

Nathan looked at his father, unsure what he should do. The gesture had taken him off-guard and he wasn't sure how to handle it. Nothing like that had ever happened to him before and it wasn't easy to accept as the normal gift Dan was trying to make it seem like. He stood there, tracing his hand over the hood of the car. It really was a beautiful vehicle and he'd never had one of his own, but he couldn't help but feel guilty accepting something like this while his mother struggled to get her old beater to run when she needed it.

Dan could see the hesitation on his son's face and wanted to try and push that over to acceptance, "Besides, it'll make it a lot easier for you to go visit your mom tomorrow."

"What? How?" Nathan asked, His thoughts about the car vanishing for a moment at the offer.

"You have your license right?" Dan asked, realizing that was something he probably should've made sure of ahead of time.

"Yeah of course, and this is incredibly nice and I do really want to spend my birthday with mom, but she doesn't...I can't just..."

"It's all worked out. We talked and she knows you're coming. I wish I could take the credit for it, but Haley was the one that told me you wanted to go and set it up. I already had the car, I just decided to give it to you a day early. I thought we could celebrate here today and then you could go up there tomorrow."

"It's too much," Nathan told him, still unsure. He'd faced temptation lots of times over the years, but there had always been a relatively clear right or wrong, good or bad. In this case, he was struggling to come up with reasons to turn his good fortune down, "maybe you could get me something less expensive..."

"Listen Nathan, everyone around here knows your uncle and I own the biggest car dealership in the area. It'll ruin my reputation to give you anything less than the best," Dan teased, " So just accept this for my sake. I can tell you want to."

Nathan turned the keys over in his hand, unable to come up with a good enough reason to trump his desire to have something new and shiny for once. He looked at his father who he knew had been trying his hardest to gain his trust. He wasn't sure he was at that level yet, but he could give him something, "You want to take it for a spin with me after our run?"

Dan looked at him in surprise. He'd been trying to be patient, but hadn't gotten any results from Nathan showing that it was being rewarded until now. "I would love that."

* * *

Nathan knocked on the door of Haley's house, pacing back and forth across the porch as he waited for someone to answer. "Thank you. I can't believe you really did that for me," he said as soon as the door opened, surprised to find a middle aged man in the doorway instead of the tiny blonde he'd expected. "I'm sorry Mr. James," he said, feeling like a idiot, "I was...I thought...Haley usually answers the door."

"Well you clearly didn't expect me," Jimmy laughed, stepping aside and gesturing for the boy to come into the room. "I'll yell up and get her. I'm sure she's awake, but I haven't seen her yet."

Nathan stood awkwardly as the man walked over to the stairs and yelled up before returning, "you must be Nathan. I've heard a lot about you."

The teen nodded, hoping that was a good thing ,"I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to come talk to Haley about something."

"It's no problem," Jimmy waved off the apology, "We've had so many teenagers in and out of this place over the last several years, you'd think it was a crackhouse or something."

"Dad, you're going to make him think we're weird...or I guess weirder than he already does," Haley joked, coming down the stairs. Her father gave her a quick hug and kissed her forehead before leaving the teens alone.

Nathan took the moment to look at his friend, her hair in a messy ponytail and wearing a pair of black yoga pants and an oversized Duke sweatshirt that he guessed she'd slept in. She crinkled her nose up at him in confusion and he had the random thought that he wanted to kiss that nose. Shaking his strange thoughts aside, he moved to sit on the couch. "Did you work it out for me to go home?"

"I talked to Dan and then I called your mom. They both wanted to make your birthday special so they worked it out," she shrugged, leading him over to the couch, "It wasn't a big deal."

Nathan shook his head at her statement, "It is to me. With everything going on, I didn't think it was possible. This really means a lot Hales."

"It really was nothing," she deflected, embarrassed by his thanks, "I thought you'd be more excited about the car. Dan told me he was going to surprise you with it. What did you get?"

"Come see," he said, reaching for her hand and dragging her out the front door.

"Wow, that's awesome," she said, glancing at the black mustang convertible parked in the driveway. "I love it. Even Brooke might be a little jealous of that one. Of course she'd probably want hers yellow or some other obnoxious color instead of the black..."

Nathan grinned as she started to ramble. "Well, I prefer the black. Want to go for a ride?"

"Hell yeah," Haley grinned, bouncing up and down slightly on her toes, "I just need to change and..."

"You look great," he waved off her protest, "besides, whatever you do," he gestured toward her hair, waving his hand around goofily in an action meant to show it blowing around, "will just get messed up by the wind anyway."

"Well," she bit her lip, chuckling at his excitement, "let me at least tell my dad we're going. I don't want him to think you kidnapped me or something. Actually, he's probably going to want to come too. I think that's pretty much his dream car."

* * *

Dan walked into the dealership and headed straight to his office, a smile on his face as he remembered the hour he'd spent driving around town with his younger son. It had been the first time he felt like they actually bonded a little without something negative happening to take away from it.

"So I guess he liked the car?" Keith stuck his head in the door. "Not surprising. Most 17 year old boys would, no matter who gave it to them."

"Actually, he turned it down at first," Dan told his brother, "said he couldn't be bought. I had to convince him to even drive it. I'm still not sure he's going to keep it, but at least he has a way to get around town for now. He's got more integrity than most men."

"He's a good kid," Keith agreed. "Seeing how he's turned out, maybe it was for the best...you know...what happened."

"You mean that he didn't have a father most of his life? That I'm having to fight tooth and nail now to even give him a birthday gift?" Dan asked angrily. "How can you say that? How could any of that be good?"

"Whoa, I'm just saying, as much as you don't like that you missed all those years, Deb did a pretty great job with him," Keith told his brother, holding his hands up in surrender. "You should be grateful it turned out so well."

Dan nodded, his whole body deflating at the thought, "That's part of what haunts me though. It could have gone the other way. If Deb hadn't been so strong... if he hadn't been too, I might not have ever known he even existed."

Keith walked over and put his arm around his younger brother's shoulders, "but now you do. Just put the past behind you and work on building the relationship between you now that you have the chance."

Dan nodded, "I finally feel like we made a real start. Now I want dinner tonight to go perfect. You're still coming right? You know with Karen cooking it'll be worth the effort."

"I wouldn't miss it," Keith told him. "We're family."

* * *

Nathan pulled back into Haley's driveway after they had driven around and gone for lunch by the docks.

"Thanks for listening to me rattle on about Dan. I know I probably sound like a broken record," he gave her a lopsided grin, "but I have to admit, it felt good today. Maybe we can actually carve out something decent from all this mess."

"I'm really happy for you," she told him, her heart flipping over at the happy look on his face. "It's great to see you and Luke getting along better too. Maybe..."

"Whoa matchmaker," he laughed, "Don't get too far ahead of yourself. We tolerate each other."

"It's better than hating each other," she pointed out and he had to agree. "And if you both put in a little effort, maybe it could get even better."

"Yeah," Nathan said hesitantly, "maybe."

"You know this car is pretty great," she said, not wanting him to get too caught up in his thoughts. "I think Dan picked well."

"I think so too, but I'm a little nervous about driving it all the way to Virginia. I've not really had the chance to drive by myself much," he admitted, "I mostly walk or ride the bus."

"I could go with you," Haley responded automatically before covering her mouth with her hand, "Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, just blurting that out, I mean, I don't have anywhere to stay and I'm sure you don't want..."

"Would you?" Nathan asked, suddenly not so daunted at the prospect of the drive. "My mom would love to meet you and so would Q...and it would be way better than driving all that way by myself. You could stay in my mom's room or you could take mine and I could sleep on the couch."

"I don't know...that's kind of...won't people think it's weird that you're bringing home a girl you aren't even dating?" Haley asked, "It's not exactly normal."

"The important people already know I'm not normal," he laughed, "and I don't want to be normal. Not with you. Come on, it'll be fun."

"I have to ask my parents since they're home, and they are definitely going to think it's strange," Haley reached for the handle of the door, "Are you sure?" she asked nervously. If she was trying to make sure their relationship stayed low-key and simple, going away with him wasn't a good idea. It would also give her mother ideas she didn't really want her having, but one look at his excited face and she couldn't bring herself to retract her offer.

"I think it's a great idea. You know, a couple days ago I was kind of dreading my birthday because of all that's happened, but now...now I'm on better terms with Dan and thanks to you I'm getting to go home," he grinned. "You've found a way to make me actually excited about it."

"I told you, I didn't really do anything," Haley said, uncomfortable with the compliments. In her mind, a couple phone calls really weren't much as far as a birthday gift. "Your dad bought you a car."

"You have no idea what you did. A car is easy when you have money," Nathan shrugged, "You, Haley James, are a miracle worker."

* * *

"Enjoy the mustang?" Lucas asked, stopping at the door to his brother's room. "When I got mine I practically lived in the thing. Even though I could pretty much go wherever I wanted before, there's this awesome sense of freedom in having your own car. Especially ones as sweet as ours."

Nathan nodded, surprised at the effort his brother seemed to be making, "It feels weird, but I can't complain."

Lucas put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels for a moment, "So, I was uh, wondering if you'd mind if I skipped out on dinner tonight. I know it's your birthday, but Peyton is leaving in less than two days and I really want to spend as much time with her as I can."

"Oh, no, that's fine. I'd probably skip it if I could," Nathan chuckled. "These family things are still pretty awkward."

"It'll get better," Lucas said, turning to leave. "You just don't know each other very well yet."

"Hey Luke, um, I know we don't really do this," he gestured between the two of them, "but how are you doing with all this, her leaving?"

"It's only 6 weeks," Lucas said, running his hands over his face. "She says it'll fly by."

"What do you think?"

"I think I don't have any say in it so I'll make do the best I can," Lucas shrugged, but his face gave away his unhappiness at the thought. "Maybe I'll just have to spend all my time training. It seems to work for you."

"You're welcome to join me anytime," Nathan offered, standing up and stretching his back. "By the time she returns, I'll be getting ready to leave. Haley pointed out that it might be nice if we could use this time to get to know each other a little."

Lucas narrowed his eyes for a moment, but nodded, "maybe we can. I won't have anything better to do."

Nathan chuckled and threw a rolled up pair of socks at him. "Glad to be appreciated."

He turned to leave again before turning back, "Thanks Nate. You're not so bad." He paused as if he wanted to say something else, but he wasn't sure how to voice it.

"Get out of here, you're creeping me out with the nice stuff," Nathan told him, understanding the hesitation and breaking the awkward moment. "I might start to think you care."

* * *

Nathan walked into the dining room and found his Uncle Keith standing at the sideboard, a glass of alcohol already in hand, "Hey Nate," he said, raising his glass to his nephew. "I haven't seen you much lately, but it seems like you're doing pretty well. You ready to turn the big 1-7?"

"I guess," Nathan smiled, "not much different than 16 I'd assume. Thanks for the car, Dan said you helped him decide what to get."

"I helped him decide color mostly. He thought you'd want red, but I figured it was too flashy for you," Keith said. "You seem more like the Batman type than Iron Man."

Nathan chuckled, "yeah. Good call. Definitely more into flying under the radar, unless it's on the court."

"You should give him a chance you know. He's not the same guy that made the mistakes all those years ago," Keith told his nephew.

"It's not that easy," Nathan argued, pausing to gather his thoughts. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't reconcile the man he was trying to get to know with the man that had so easily left two different women in trouble. "He might not be the same man, but that doesn't automatically make me able to trust him either."

"You know, I understand that...better than most people," Keith set his glass on the sideboard. He wanted his nephew to understand that he wasn't the only one who'd had trouble forgiving Dan for what had happened. "I was really angry with my brother for a long time about what went down back before you boys were born. You see, I had a crush on Karen back then. It was really hard for me to see her hurt and even harder to see her take him back after what he'd done, how much he'd hurt her."

"I can only imagine. So what changed?" Nathan asked, leaning his back against the wall, "you seem like you get along now."

"Dan did," Keith answered honestly. "He grew up and started taking his responsibilities seriously. He straightened out his life and did his best to be a good husband and a good dad. It was hard for him, especially when he lost basketball, really hard, but he did his best to make a new life for himself and he put his family first."

"What about Karen? Didn't you still care about her?"

"What about her? She never felt the same for me. She wanted Dan and I wanted her to be happy, so I kept my feelings buried and became her brother-in-law. Eventually the romantic part of those feelings faded and I was able to stay her friend," he sighed and placed his hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices for the people we love. What we want isn't always the best thing for them, or sometimes, even for ourselves. I cared enough about both of them to stay out of their way and help them be a family."

"With Lucas," Nathan said dejectedly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I know you don't..."

Dan entered the room and unaware of their conversation, joined them. "Did he tell you he drove that car like a pro?" Dan bragged, pouring himself a drink. "I thought I might have to give him some pointers, but even I was impressed."

Keith stopped what he was about to say and shifting his attention to his brother's topic he faced Nathan, "I'm surprised, I didn't think you'd driven much."

"I haven't had my own car," Nathan said, "but I've driven on the track a bit. My Uncle Cooper just made the pro circuit for racing last year. He took me along on a few practice runs and even let me drive a few laps. It's such a rush."

"I didn't think you had contact with your mom's family," Keith asked, looking from Nathan to Dan. "I thought you said...well, I didn't think you saw any of them."

"We didn't for a long time," Nathan explained, gesturing at his dad, "but as I told him, we got a call out of the blue a few years ago that Coop had broken away from his parents too and finally tracked us down. I only get to see him a few times a year, but he's great. He feels more like a cousin or friend than an uncle, but I've enjoyed getting to know him."

"Well it's always good to have family," Keith said, "Who else is really going to be there for you when you need it most? "

* * *

Karen started bringing the food into the dining room where she already had the table set for their family celebration.

"I'll help with that," Haley said, entering the kitchen and heading over to grab the next dish.

"Not that I don't love having you, but I didn't realize the boys had invited you here tonight," Karen said, looking around as she grabbed utensils, "Where's Lucas anyway? He was supposed to be helping me do this."

"Um, I think he's spending the evening with Peyton. He asked me to come take his place," Haley grabbed a pot holder and set it under the hot dish, "I thought he cleared it with you."

"No...no he didn't. I don't know what's wrong with him lately," Karen said, her voice full of frustration. "He has a brother here that he's treated terribly and instead of trying to make peace with him, he's off God knows where with a girl, again. I had to work hard to switch things around at the last minute so he could be here tonight instead of tomorrow and then he ditches?" Karen complained, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"At least he sent me..." Haley tried to temper her anger.

"The fact that he sent you to take his place, knowing how angry I would be just makes it worse. I told him he was to be here tonight and he deliberately threw the invitation in our faces."

"I didn't..." Haley took a step back, not knowing what to say.

"I've had enough and he's not going to get away with it this time. His father is trying very hard to form a relationship with Nathan..."

"And that's not going to be affected by what Lucas does," Nathan said, stepping into the kitchen as he heard the raised voice. "Or by you taking your anger at Lucas out on Haley. She didn't do anything wrong."

"I'm sorry Haley, it's not your fault," Karen was quick to apologize, her shoulders slumping as she realized that's exactly what she'd been doing. She walked over and stood at the sink for a moment trying to compose herself before turning to the two teens, "Let's just finish setting the table."

The two women took their food to the table, Nathan grabbing a dish and following behind them. "It looks great honey," Dan said, looking over the table, "let me help you get the rest. You two can have a seat," he gestured toward the teens.

Nathan and Haley sat next to each other, across from Keith and the three talked about the feast set in front of them as they waited.

"Is everything okay?" Dan asked as they entered the kitchen, "you seem upset."

"Of course I'm upset," Karen complained. "Our whole lives are a mess right now."

"I know this has been difficult, but it's getting better," Dan reached out and placed his hands on her arms, "I swear it is."

"Then why isn't Lucas here? Huh? He just makes me so mad sometimes. It's like he doesn't take anyone else's feelings into consideration. He's breaking promises tonight and earlier today he lied right to my face. He promised he wouldn't pull anymore of this crap and then he bailed on his brother and us, again."

"That's not fair," Nathan said. "Yes, he was a jerk when I first got here, but if you hadn't noticed, he's actually been trying lately. He came to me and asked if it was okay with me if he missed tonight and I told him to go ahead, that I understood."

"Nathan," Dan said spinning around in surprise, "Did you need something?"

"I just came to get some water for Haley," he said, showing them the empty glass. "I couldn't help hearing."

"That's a nice gesture, and I'm glad he made it," Karen said, as Haley and Keith entered the room after hearing the raised voices, "but that doesn't make what my son did right. He didn't clear it with us after he promised he'd be here. He owes it to all of us to keep his word."

"He wasn't trying to lie..." Haley tried to calm her down.

"Don't cover for him Haley. Tonight was wrong and you should know better. Honesty is very important to me, more so than anything else, and you both know that. How are we going to make this work if we aren't even truthful with each other?"

Nathan looked at the woman before him and couldn't believe she was so upset with Lucas over what he thought was a minor thing and now, on top of that, she was once again taking it out on an innocent person. His temper flared and he couldn't just stand by and watch.

"That's funny coming from you since you've been pretending and lying since I got here," Nathan said, his voice seeming loud in the silent room. "You're bashing Lucas for missing my dinner, but at least he's been honest with me. I've always known exactly where I stand with him. I'd much rather that than to be stabbed in the back by someone after I started to trust them."

Dan tried to step in, placing his hand on his son's shoulder, "come on Nathan, let's not do this now."

Nathan shook off the contact and continued to look at Karen, his face haunted. "When I first came here, I admired you. I knew me coming here was hard on you, and I thought you'd resent me, but you were kind and caring. At times, it reminded me of my mother and it was nice."

"I don't mean to upset you, I want you to feel that way," Karen said, reaching out her hand to the angry teen. "I want you to feel part of this family."

"Just not actually be part, right? Since you wish I'd been just a stain on the bed? That I didn't exist?" Nathan asked, his temper flaring at her hurt look. He didn't understand how she could act like he and Lucas were the ones in the wrong.

Haley stepped closer to her friend and placed her hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him. She didn't know what happened, but she could see that he was upset with the woman in front of him.

"Nathan, don't..."

"I don't...that's not true..." Karen tried to defend herself, but he cut her off.

"Just stop," his hand covered Haley's on his arm and squeezed it for a moment, as if he could use it to give him the strength to continue. He took a deep breath and detached himself from her before he took a step forward. "You can deny it all you want, but I heard you, plain as day," he said, suddenly deflated as he looked at the two men and then back at his stepmother. "Were you the one that took my mom's letters too? Awfully convenient that Dan never got either of the messages she sent to tell him about the boy you wished was never born. Now, big surprise for you, after 17 years you're stuck dealing with me anyway."

He took a few more steps and opened the back door before turning back to the stunned room, "You didn't have to pretend to like me, while behind my back you really just wanted me gone. It wouldn't have hurt as much if you at least told me the truth."

Haley turned and looked at the three adults, "what's he talking about?"

"He's talking nonsense," Keith said angrily. "Aren't you going to do something Dan? He has no right to go off on her like that."

Karen placed both of her hands on the counter to steady herself as her eyes filled with tears, "I didn't mean to..." she started to cry, looking up at her husband, "I'm so sorry."

"Would somebody please explain?" Haley demanded. "What is going on?"

"Nathan must've overheard something I said," Karen admitted, "I didn't mean it. Not really. I was just upset and...I shouldn't have said it anyway. This is my fault."

"You knew he had a hard time with coming here and that he felt like you abandoned him," she told them, her focus on Dan. "How could you let this happen?"

"It's not his fault. I never meant for this to happen, I swear," Karen told her. "I don't feel that way, I never did. "

"Then you shouldn't have said it. Maybe Lucas isn't the only Scott that only thinks of their own feelings," Haley shook her head in anger. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. It was amazing to think that only a few months earlier she'd been jealous of Lucas for having a loving, together family who was there for him and not gallivanting across the country. Now, she realized being gone a lot wasn't necessarily the worst way for parents to act.

"I'm going to go find him and try to bring him home," she told them, shaking her head in disgust. "You guys really need to get your acts together, all of you, because I don't know how many more chances he's got left in him."

"I'm going too," Dan said, following her to the door.

"Dan," Karen said, taking off her apron, "I want to come too. I need to talk to him..."

Dan looked back at her, running his hands down his face. He understood her need to explain, but he needed to put his son first at the moment, "I don't think that's a good idea right now. I'll call you when I find him."

Dan walked out the door and saw the girl he was looking for at the end of the driveway, about to turn onto the sidewalk, "Haley," he yelled as he jogged toward her, "Let me give you a lift."

Haley hesitated for a moment before she nodded and they walked back to the car, "Do you know where to find him?"

She shook her head slightly, "Not for sure. I was going to head to the Rivercourt, but he has a car now so it really could be anywhere. Hell, he could be on his way back to Virginia early."

"That's probably where I'd be if I were him," Dan admitted, his frustration clear in his voice. "I don't know that I'd give us another chance. Damnit, I can't believe he heard that conversation, or at least part of it and never said a word."

"When was it?" Haley asked, starting to put the pieces together.

"I don't remember exactly, but it was right about the time we went to visit his mom. A couple days before maybe?"

"And he's been avoiding Karen since he got back," Haley whispered, "that's what he was going to tell me."

"Okay, I'm lost. He's been avoiding my wife?"

"Are you blind?" Haley asked him incredulously, shaking her head at his lack of awareness. "It's no wonder you're not making any progress with him."

"I thought he was avoiding me," Dan admitted, "so I was trying not to push."

"Well, maybe that too, I don't know, but he's definitely been avoiding her. I even asked him about it, but he wouldn't say anything, just changed the subject."

"I just keep making mistakes," Dan said, tapping his fingers on the wheel as he drove, "How do you do it?"

"What?" Haley asked, her eyes moving from looking out the window back to the driver.

"Both of my sons come to you when they need to talk or really, if they need anything for that matter. They trust you and confide in you," Dan told her, shaking his head as if encountering some great mystery. "How do you do that? Gain their respect?"

"I'm not sure exactly," she said, biting her lip. She'd never really thought about it before, how she became friends with them. She just acted as came natural to her and found that she had good chemistry with both of them, despite their differences. She thought back to her first few meetings with Nathan and how they'd interacted, "um, I guess I listen whenever they want to talk and I don't criticize them for they how feel. I keep their confidences and do my best to understand their point of view. It's pretty basic stuff. It's mainly just being a good listener and a loyal friend. Anyone can do it."

"But both of my sons chose you. I mean, Lucas is dating the Sawyer girl, but you're the one he tells all his secrets and so far, Nathan seems like he has developed the same habit," Dan questioned. "At first, I thought it was just to make Lucas mad, but it didn't take long to realize it was because he saw something in you he didn't find in any of us."

"All I did was be there and offer to listen," she looked back out the window. "Sometimes that's all people need."

"So what do I do?" Dan asked, his normally strong voice laced with desperation. "You obviously have more insight into them than I do. How do I fix this? I know my family is a mess right now, but I'm willing to do anything. "

"I'm sorry Mr. Scott," Haley sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. She felt bad for the man next to her, but wasn't sure what advice she could offer. "There's really no magic answer. Your sons are growing up. Nathan turns 17 tomorrow, but essentially, he's already an adult. I know you missed out on being his dad, but that's not what he wants or needs from you right now. He doesn't want your advice or criticism. He doesn't need you to tell him what to do or not to do," she arched her brow at his reaction, knowing she'd hit him with that part. "What he could use, is a father to help guide him into adulthood. Someone to be there for him...to give him advice when he needs it and a helping hand when he asks for it. It probably hurts to hear it, but you can't get those missed years back." She paused as Dan closed his eyes, his fists clenching around the steering wheel. "What you can do, is try to be a part of his life for the rest of it."

"I think I see it now," Dan said, his voice almost a whisper as they approached the Rivercourt. He parked the car and looked out to find Nathan sitting on top of a picnic table as she'd guessed. He wanted more than anything to jump out and run over to the boy who looked so lost and alone, but he was going to try and take this wisp of a girl's advice. "I understand."

"What?"

"Why the rest of my family thinks so highly of you," Dan said, studying the tiny blonde. "You're a very smart, insightful young lady."

"Thanks," Haley said slowly, her eyebrows furrowing at the look on the older man's face. "I hope that means you'll think about what I said," she told him, opening the door and climbing out. She looked over the top of the car, expecting his exit. When she didn't see him, she leaned down and looked back in, "You coming?"

"Nah," Dan said, looking over at his son, his shoulders slumped as he sat on the bench alone. "I think you'll do a better job and he probably doesn't want to see me right now anyway. Just..." he thought about what he could say to fix the damage that had been done, an apology or excuse, but instead he decided to take her advice. "Just tell him that I'm available if he wants to talk about it. No arguments, just listening."

"I will," she smiled, shutting the door and taking a deep breath. "I just hope he's still willing to talk."

* * *

Nathan saw his father's car pull in and tensed for a confrontation. He knew the conversation would have to happen at some point, but wasn't sure he could handle it at that moment without breaking down. He heard the sound of a door opening, but was surprised to see Haley emerge from the passenger seat. She said something to the driver and then the car turned around and left her there, looking across the pavement at him.

She said something to herself that he couldn't hear and then started to walk toward him, "You know, Lucas wants to be a writer someday."

He furrowed his eyes at her choice of openings, but decided to go with it. It was Haley after all and though she often said what seemed like strange things, they always ended up making more sense than most people. "Really? I thought he wanted to play in the NBA."

"Nah, not really. That's more Dan's dream than his. He would love to play in college, but he's fully aware he won't be going pro," she explained and Nathan waited, knowing there was more. "I think that was a big part of why he was so against you at first. He saw you as someone who might be able to fulfill the dreams Dan has for him. He's accepted that he won't be a pro, but Dan hasn't. He knows you might be able to and he was afraid of you taking his place."

"I guess I can see that," Nathan admitted, uncurling his body and leaning back on his arms.

"Anyway, I was thinking on the way here that with all the drama lately, it would be pretty easy for him to write a book just based on the truth," Haley smiled, playfully bumping into his shoulder. "There's been some crazy stuff going on lately."

"Well, they say sometimes truth is stranger than fiction," Nathan lifted one corner of his mouth up in a sorry attempt at a smile. "I'm sorry about what happened back there. You seem to keep getting dragged into our problems."

She shrugged, "It's fine. I'm here for whatever you need."

"You really mean that, don't you?" he asked her, looking over and studying her face as his hand grazed her cheek. "I don't think I've ever met anyone quite like you."

"Is that good or bad?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in question.

"Good, it's really good," he told her honestly, realizing what he was doing and pulling back his hand.

Haley ducked her head and smiled, trying not to blush from the contact. "I'm glad," she said as they both leaned back to look up at the sky for a few minutes. It was peaceful there and they enjoyed the quiet for a little while before Haley felt the need to speak again, "So what are you thinking about, on the eve of your birthday. Making a wish?"

"I was just thinking about all of it, you know everything that's happened the last couple of months. I've just been trying to go with it and deal as things came, but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it up."

"I can't imagine. I mean, just a couple months ago you didn't know any of us existed," she thought back. "I was finishing up my junior year of being mousy Tutor Girl who doesn't truly fit anywhere and you were finishing yours as a hot shot basketball star at a fancy private school hours away. Yet here we are."

"Here we are," he agreed.

"So tell me about it," she said, suddenly sitting forward. She bent her knee up to place one on the table and turned to face him. "You said you were thinking about everything that's happened, so tell me. Maybe it'll help you sort it out if you talk about it. What's your life been like? How are you feeling about things? I'm here to listen and I don't have to be home for hours."

"I'm not sure where to start really, I mean I've told you most of the basics growing up," he told her hesitantly. "That's already more than I tell most people."

"We both know that I'm not most people. I have some kind of make you spill your guts super power that seems to be especially effective on Scotts," she grinned.

Nathan chuckled at her playfulness, but while he knew she was teasing, it did seem like there was just something about her that made words he didn't normally say come pouring out of his mouth. "I don't really want to talk about my mom right now."

"So tell me about the Dan stuff. How do you feel about it? You've pretty much avoided that so far," she asked, "but I know it had to be hard finding it out when you're already basically grown up."

"Yeah. It was," he paused, trying to decide how much he wanted to say and where to even begin. The silence wasn't bad though, it was still peaceful, something he always seemed to feel with Haley.

"Growing up with a single mom, especially in the poorest area of town where we lived, you hear a lot of smack. Everyone assumes your daddy ran out on your mama and didn't want you. Kids are especially cruel to other kids and they'll look for anything to feel better than the one standing next to them. I heard the trash all the time, about being the reason my dad left or not being good enough for him to stay, but I was able to stay strong and hold my head high because no matter what they believed, I KNEW that wasn't what happened. I KNEW that my father would have been there if he hadn't died. That he wouldn't have ever let us live in a one room apartment with roaches as our unwanted guests if he had been alive to do anything about it."

Haley wanted to say something, but sensed that that wasn't what he wanted from her right then so she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder instead.

"Things got better as I got older, our living arrangements kept improving and we didn't have to worry so much about getting the bills paid, but the taunting was always there. By then, I had Quentin and Mr. Fields, so it gave me another reason to let it roll off my back. I told myself it didn't matter what they said. Then we started having things like father son games and outings. Mr. Fields took us both and it was nice, in fact, looking back, I was pretty damn lucky to have him, but it wasn't the same, so I started kind of inventing my own dad. Thinking of what my hero dad would have done or said if he'd been alive to do it," Nathan explained, turning his body to face Haley's. "Like how he would've punched Billy Thomas' dad in the face for calling me a bastard or what he would have said to Mrs. Lyons when she called me stupid because I didn't know the answer in pre-algebra."

"You're not stupid," Haley argued.

"I know," Nathan smiled slightly, "but I hated that class and she was a really crappy teacher. Anyway, by the time I was at Oak Hill, I was past that and despite losing Mr. Fields, Patrick was around so I at least had someone that I could count on to look out for my mom. It was the best time of my life, probably actually the most I'd ever felt like a kid. There were no bills to worry about, no fear of what was crawling in my bed. Q and I were living the good life and were star athletes. The girls flocked to us and wanted to be with us, always telling us how hot we were. The boys worshiped our skills on the court and wanted to be us. I didn't need anyone else anymore. Man, that feels like another lifetime ago now."

Nathan stood up, unable to stay still he took a few steps and then came back, sticking his hands in his pockets as she looked back up at the sky, "I thought I was beyond all the crap about being fatherless and even though it felt like there was something missing sometimes, I was sure I was over it. Even when my mom started getting sick, I had Patrick and Mrs. Fields to help and I didn't really think about my dad anymore. Then out of the blue, my mom calls me in and tells me about Dan. It blindsided me Hales. I'd never even considered that something like that might be true and it shifted my life, my whole world off its axis. Ever since then I feel like I'm walking a tightrope, but I can't seem to quite figure out how to fix it, to put it back where it belongs."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Haley sat in the car, looking out the window while taking the occasional peek at her friend as he drove. She couldn't help but notice that he looked tired, like he hadn't slept the night before. Knowing what she did about the previous evening, she suspected that might actually be true. She spun her ring around on her pinkie and sighed, looking back out the window. He hadn't said much since he picked her up for their trip and she'd been willing to go with it, figuring he'd open up when he was ready. However, almost two hours later, she was starting to get bored and was curious about what happened after he'd finally gone back home.

"What's going on Hales?" he finally asked, taking his eyes off the road to look over at her for a second, "You clearly want to say something."

"How do you know?" she muttered, miffed at his perceptiveness. She'd been trying to remain patient, but waiting him out was proving difficult.

"Seriously? You've been wiggling for the last half hour and at least 3 times you've opened your mouth to talk and then closed it again," he told her, laughing at her indignation, "Come on Hales, just spit it out."

"Fine. I was wondering how it went when you got home," she ventured, pausing for a moment, "with Dan and Karen I mean. Did you talk?"

Nathan didn't react to her question and for a moment she thought he hadn't heard her, but then his jaw twitched and she knew he was either ignoring her or formulating an answer so she waited, trying not to fidget any more.

"They were already in bed," he finally said. His voice was soft and she had to listen closely to hear. "There was a note and a birthday card on the counter and leftovers were in the microwave."

"Okay," she said, not understanding why he was so down. He'd been hoping for something like that and dreading speaking to them after the earlier confrontation. "So what's wrong? Did something happen this morning?"

Nathan shook his head no, trying to figure out what exactly it was that had him so upset. He hadn't seen Karen since and Dan had gone running with him as usual without bringing it up other than to tell Nathan he was sorry his birthday celebration was ruined. He should be relieved that they weren't pressing him and trying to apologize, but for some reason he wasn't. Instead, he kept thinking about the note Karen had left and the dinner with all of his favorites she'd made and set aside for him. Neither of those things seemed like the actions of someone who wanted rid of him. Of course they could have been done fjust to put on a good face for Dan, but for some reason he didn't think he believed that.

He kept replaying the time he'd spent around her in his head, but it hadn't given him any answers. He didn't like the confusion it was causing in him and that had led to a mostly sleepless night. His life was all muddled and he hated that there were no clear right or wrong answers. He wanted certainty and stability back in his life, but at the moment he only felt like he had 2 people he could trust completely and for the first time ever, neither one was his mother.

He looked over at the girl sitting next to him, taken aback again at how beautiful she was. He'd noticed that immediately when they'd first bumped into each other, but she was also ridiculously smart and caring, brave and fun, yet shy and thoughtful. She'd somehow slid past what he'd thought were stalwart defenses and become a close friend. Really, he admitted, since he considered Quentin his brother, she was his best friend and he knew she wanted to know what had him so on edge. He also knew that if there was anyone who could understand and help him sort through it, it would be her.

"Karen apologized in the note," he whispered, half hoping she wouldn't hear. He knew she was close with his step-mother and hated that this was putting her in an awkward position where she was stuck between people she cared about yet again. When he heard her quick intake of breath, he knew she had picked it up and spoke a little firmer as he continued, "She said she never meant what I overheard, and that she feels horrible she ever said it."

"I'm sure she does," Haley agreed, but didn't defend the woman any further than that. "What are you thinking?"

"I don't know what to think," he admitted, his hand tapping on the side of the steering wheel as he thought about it. "There are times when I can look back and I think she does care and didn't mean it, but there are other times I'm not so sure. It's not like I can unhear what she said, you know. I just keep thinking that even if she didn't feel that way, at the very least the thought crossed her mind."

Haley didn't say anything, not sure how to respond to such a heartbreaking statement. She'd known Karen for years and had for the last several considered her another mother, especially when her own parents had been travelling so much. She had trusted her and loved her, but listening to the boy next to her talk she wanted to scream at the woman how wrong she was and shake her for being so careless with his feelings. How could she even think such a thing about the amazing young man sitting there with her? The thought was baffling.

"I'm sorry I'm dumping on you again," he told her, realizing she wasn't going to comment. "I can't seem to help myself. In the past I've always gone to my mom with my problems, but I can't right now and I hate that, I hate that I love her so much and yet I'm angry with her."

"For sending you away?" Haley asked, knowing this was delicate. He'd railed about many aspects of the position he'd been put in, but this was the first time he'd ever admitted feeling anything negative about his mom.

"Partly," he admitted, quietly staring at the road for a minute, "mostly because she lied. I know why she did it and I'm not sure I can blame her, but it still hurts and then I think of how sick she is and I'm scared that she'll leave me before I manage to totally forgive her." He looked over and saw Haley wiping a tear from her eye. "Not the fun trip you imagined?"

"I told you before, I'm here for whatever you need," she said, reaching across the console and squeezing his hand, "and what you need right now is to stop worrying and start enjoying your birthday. I know just the way to start," she said, her hands going for the dial on the dashboard. "We're going to play the radio game."

* * *

"Okay, I quit. This is getting too depressing," Nathan said, cutting off the radio as "I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me," played through the speakers. "Thinking that's how my season will go is not helping my mood."

"Hey, it's better than "They want me to sell my soul, no way, no way," as my chances of getting a full scholarship to Duke," Haley laughed.

"At least yours leaves you alive," he rationalized, unable to keep a smirk from forming on his lips. "Mine has me suicidal."

Haley laughed, knowing he wasn't serious, but also that he'd had enough of the game. She was relieved to see he was more himself though. The game had at least served its purpose and taken his mind off his problems for awhile. "Let's stop for lunch. I'm starved and we can ask for directions."

Nathan looked at the clock. It was already early afternoon and they had almost 2 hours of driving left after an accident had blocked traffic for over an hour and then forced them to take this detour that wasn't shown on the map.

"I know where I'm going," he told her again, causing her to roll her eyes at his stubbornness, "but I could use some food. "

"How 'bout that place over there?" Haley pointed to a faded brown building that looked like it had seen better days. It looked a little rundown, but there were at least 10 semis in the huge gravel parking lot. "Anywhere there's a bunch of trucks usually has good cooking. Truckers know where to eat when they're on the road."

Nathan looked at the place skeptically, but also knew there weren't a ton of choices without going way out of their way and delaying them even further. "I guess I'll just have to trust you on that."

He pulled into the parking lot, a little worried about his car and glad they already had the top up. The building looked even worse from up close and he considered turning around and getting back in the car, "Are you sure this is where you want to go?"

"Come on, live a little," she laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him inside. They headed for an empty table and Nathan pulled her chair out for her to sit, causing her to giggle. "You know, I think the last time anyone did that for me I was in first grade. There was this new boy named Ben that year and he had the best manners you've ever seen in a little kid. Anyway, he pulled my chair out for me on the first day and I turned around and punched him. I had 3 older brothers so I thought he was trying to play a prank on me and make me fall. Turns out he was trying to be a little gentleman and I had overreacted."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't punch me," Nathan laughed, picturing an even smaller version of Haley getting upset over having her chair pulled out for her. "I bet you were so cute he couldn't help himself."

"Yeah, well I got stuck missing recess and he was scared to ever talk to me again," she told him, pretending to pout. "I don't know whatever happened to him. He must've moved or something because I don't remember him being there for second grade."

"Maybe he moved so you wouldn't beat him up again," Nathan laughed. "I can just picture you all fierce and angry, probably with a little pink dress and pigtails."

"Actually, I hate pink," she remarked, thinking back to her early years as she looked at her menu, "but that's otherwise fairly accurate. I loved dresses until about second grade when we discovered the boys were hiding under the jungle gym to look up our skirts."

Nathan figured that was probably true. He knew the boys in his school would have done the same thing if it had been possible and he told Haley that, "Of course, Quentin and I wouldn't have been involved since it would've meant leaving the basketball court and that was only for life or death situations. Like the time this kid was swinging upside down on the monkey bars and fell. All us boys went running to see the blood pouring out of his head. It was pretty exciting for a 7 or 8 year old."

"That is so gross," Haley shuddered at the thought, "but probably true. I remember Luke being the same way when we were young."

The waitress came over and smiled at them before asking for their order.

"What do you recommend?" Haley questioned, "Any specialties?"

"My personal favorite are the butter pecan pancakes," she told them, her voice friendly, but tired sounding, "but we get a lot of orders for any of the breakfast items. They're our main sellers and available all day."

Haley decided to try those pancakes with a side of bacon, while Nathan ordered apple cinnamon ones with scrambled eggs and ham. They went back to talking and the waitress arrived back at their table with Haley's coffee and Nathan's juice. Just as she was about to pour the hot liquid, a man in a hurry to get by knocked into her, sending her careening into the table and spilling the coffee on Nathan and all over the table and floor.

"Oh my...I'm so sorry," the waitress said, her eyes filling up with tears as she started trying to clean up the mess. "I should..."

"It wasn't your fault," Nathan said, looking back at the jerk that had caused the spill, "luckily, it didn't get my skin." He looked over at the man who was chuckling at the 2 women trying to clean up, "You think it's funny? You're the one who can't walk straight."

"Well if her fat ass didn't take up the whole walkway, it wouldn't have happened," the man said, stepping back toward them. Seeing there were a few guys sitting nearby watching, he laughed as he added, "Of course I would've had an entirely different reaction to that young one's tush. You don't get to touch curves like that every day. Might've had to grab myself a piece of that."

Nathan stood up, towering over the older man who while fit, appeared to be inebriated. "I think you definitely need to apologize now. That's no way to talk about a woman."

Haley was still trying to help the waitress clean up the mess and turned to watch the confrontation.

"Nathan," she said, standing up and reaching for his arm. "Just let it go. I don't want you getting in trouble."

Nathan nodded, but stood his ground, flexing his arms slightly as the shorter man watched, swallowing hard. "Apologize, or get the hell out." Nathan took a step forward and the man looked around. He noticed that no one else was coming to his aid and decided it wasn't a battle he could win.

"Fine, I'm sorry," he said, stumbling as he stepped back. He looked around and saw that many of the other patrons were laughing and decided to try and save some face as she righted himself, "Trash isn't worth fighting over." He stomped over to the door and left without another word.

"Thank you for that," the waitress said, looking up at Nathan with gratitude. "I'm so sorry about the spill. The food's on the house," she told them before heading back behind the counter.

"I think I should probably..." Nathan gestured to his cargo shorts and then to toward the sign behind Haley for the restroom. "You going to be okay here by yourself?"

"Yeah. I don't think anyone will mess with me after your little macho display," she teased.

"I wasn't trying to be tough," Nathan said defensively, "I just don't like seeing women treated like that."

"I know," Haley agreed, her heart racing as he turned and walked away. It wasn't the first time she'd had comments like that directed her way or even the first time one of her friends defended her afterword, but for some reason, her reaction to Nathan's defense was drastically different than when it was Luke or Jake. She tried to tell herself it was because she'd known the other guys forever while Nathan was new to their group, but couldn't even make herself believe it.

"Hold onto that one tight," Haley heard from behind her and spun back around in surprise, her thoughts having taken her away from what was going around her.

"What?"

"Your boyfriend," the woman said, setting their food on the table. "He's a keeper."

Haley shook her head slowly, denying the assumption, "No, um...he's not mine, we're just friends."

"Then you should change that honey," the waitress said, "and fast. Men like that don't come around often," she paused as Nathan stepped back out of the restroom, looking back to Haley and winking, "especially ones that look like that."

* * *

"You okay?" Haley asked after they'd been driving for awhile in silence. "You were pretty angry back there," she said, not sure what else to say. She'd seen a lot of Nathan's moods so far, but this one was new and she didn't know how to react to it. "What you did was brave."

He nodded, but looked back at the road as they headed back toward the freeway. "It was nothing. I'm sorry he felt like he could talk about you like that."

"It happens," she shrugged, now the one who wasn't sure they wanted to talk.

"Way too often," Nathan said. "Most of the workers at my mom's place are women. Things like that happened often enough that my mom had to hire a guy, a bouncer of sorts, to be there just to deal with guys that that think they can say and do whatever they want to them. It makes me sick to think that there are a lot of times when guys just get away with it because no one stands up against them."

"Not no one," Haley said, reaching over and placing her hand on his forearm. "There are good guys out there you know, guys like you and Luke. I'm lucky to know several."

"Yeah," Nathan said, "I guess, but there aren't as many as there should be. It makes me angry."

"And you did what you could. So what did your mom say when you called?" Haley asked, trying to change the subject from what she could see was an upsetting one for him.

"We're supposed to stop at the pub for dinner and then go visit her. It sucks that we're going to get there so late," he lamented, looking at the clock again, "Of course, so far my birthday has been a giant pain in the ass, so at this rate, I'm pretty sure I'd be okay just skipping the rest of it and going to bed early."

Haley frowned, "at least you'll get to see your mom. Maybe that'll be enough to make up for the rest of the day."

"Maybe," he said, giving her a half smile. "I'm glad you came Haley, even after that crap back there. This day would've been a lot worse without you."

* * *

"You texting Brooke?" Nathan asked as they neared his home. Haley had been busy texting back and forth with someone for the last half hour and the only people he knew that talked that much were Brooke and Q.

"What?" Haley asked, her head jerking up. "No...no. Just another friend that needs my help with something. I can't really talk about it."

"Oh," Nathan said, his eyebrows creasing in concern. "Is everything okay?

"Yeah, no...everything's fine...no worries...nothing to be concerned about," she told him, looking back out the window. She was so terrible at keeping secrets and combined with her penchant for babbling, she was just digging herself a hole, "So this is where you're from?"

"Yeah," Nathan said, looking around the familiar streets. "We moved here when I was still a baby. I guess someone my mom knew offered her a job at some place he was trying to start up. It didn't end up working out for long, but she didn't have anywhere else to go, so we stayed. It's an okay place I guess, but I've never been super attached like people seem to be with Tree Hill. I do miss some of the people when I'm away though."

He pulled onto a side street and slowly turned into a half-full parking lot, "This is it," he said, turning off the engine. "I'm glad my mom suggested we come here first. After that scene, I didn't eat that well at lunch and I'm starving. You'll love it here Hales. The food is always great, but if we're lucky, Mrs. Fields will still be here to cook for us and then it's even better."

"Sounds good," Haley said, biting her lip nervously, "but um...could we maybe go up to the apartment first? I'd like to freshen up."

"It's not like there's anyone you need to impress," Nathan questioned, "and you look fine anyway."

"Please Nathan," Haley asked, "just for a couple minutes. It was a long drive and I'd just feel better if I could have a few minutes to put myself together before I meet any of your family or friends. Besides, it's a little early for dinner."

Nathan was a little confused by her request because she normally wasn't fixated on what she looked like, but figured it was probably something girly that he didn't want to know about anyway and so they walked around back where he took out his key and opened the heavy door at the bottom of a set of stairs. "This way we don't have to go through the bar," he told her, gesturing toward the hallway before they started to ascend, "It's not much, but it's home."

They reached the landing at the top and Nathan turned to unlock the door at the top, "Nathan," Haley said, stopping him for a moment, "before we go in, I just want you to know that I'm glad I came too."

Nathan nodded, his brow furrowed in confusion at her timing, "that's good," he said, opening the door. "I..."

"Happy Birthday!" the room erupted with the cheer as the lights turned on and Nathan looked around, his gaze immediately drawn to his mom and Patrick.

"Mom!" he said, making a beeline for her side as she sat in a wheelchair. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, when Haley called, we made plans to surprise you. I'm in between treatments right now so they said I could come home for a little while, as long as I take it easy," she gestured toward the wheelchair she was sitting in as she pulled him down to her level to give him a hug. "Happy Birthday Nate. I can't believe my little boy is 17 already."

"I haven't been little for a long time," Nathan shook his head at his mother's statement. "I think I passed you when I was like 10."

"Well, I don't care how big you get, you'll always be my baby," she kissed him on the cheek.

"You doing okay?" she asked, looking him over, "you look like you've lost a little weight. They not feeding you right?"

"It's fine mom," he laughed, "I've just been working out a lot."

"Okay, I guess I should know by now that you never take a break from basketball," she said, rolling her eyes at him, "Now where is Haley? I'd like to meet the girl that helped make this happen."

* * *

"So you're Haley?" Quentin said, moving closer to her as he watched his friend rush to his mother's side. "Nate's told me about you, but damn girl, you're hot."

"And I'm assuming you're Quentin?" she asked, her face flushing as she stuck her hand out to shake. "I've heard a lot about you as well."

"All of it's true," Q said confidently, winking as he continued, "especially the parts about how good looking I am and how often I beat Nate on the court."

Haley grinned at his statement, already finding a comfort level with the boy Nathan called brother, "I feel like I know you already."

"Well, Nathan is a lot more tightlipped about you," Quentin said, looking her up and down. "Now I see why. He was afraid I'm come take you away from him."

Haley just laughed and shook her head at his comments. She was a little embarrassed, but knew he was just teasing. She'd heard enough stories from Nathan to tell her it was just his way. "He found me first," she played along, holding her hands up in front of her, "you have to find your own friendly neighborhood...girl...best friend...thing...wow, that sounded way better in my head," she laughed at herself. "You get the point."

Quentin laughed at her ramble but nodded his head yes, "thanks," he added, "for helping set this up. I'm glad he has someone looking out for him. I hate not being there to have his back."

"Well I'm doing my best," she told him. "He's lucky to have you though and he knows it."

"I'll be sure to tell him you said so," Q grinned, looking over at his friend and seeing him wave toward them, "I think he wants you to come over. It was nice to meet you short stuff."

Haley looked over and saw that Nathan was indeed motioning for her. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hair back from her face, suddenly wishing she had actually taken a minute to freshen up as she headed toward Nathan's mom. "Hi," she said as she arrived by their side.

"Mom, I'd like you to meet my friend Haley James. Hales, this is my mom Deb Lee."

"It's so nice to meet you Haley," Deb said, extending her hand to the younger blonde. "Thank you for helping me set this up. You don't know how much being able to do this means to me."

"I just made a couple phone calls. You did all the work," Haley ducked her head, embarrassed by the praise, "like I told your son, it wasn't a big deal."

"It was to us," Deb said, gesturing to the chair on the other side of her from her son. "So tell me about yourself and how you two became friends. Nathan always leaves out the good stuff."

Haley laughed and took the offered seat, "Well, it started with me being a klutz, which is totally normal, but doesn't usually affect anyone else, or at least it didn't until Nathan came along. If he brought a bunch of dirty laundry home, that's probably my fault..."

* * *

"Do you see how he acts with her?" Denise Fields asked as she took a spot next to her friend. They both looked across to the dining room where Haley sat with Nathan, Quentin, and a couple of their friends they played basketball with. "He's smitten."

Deb smiled, "All evening he's kept watch over her, always knowing exactly where she is, making sure she's comfortable. He's protective."

"Maybe we're reading too much into it," Denise backtracked, shaking her head as she said it. "You know Nathan's got all these plans, maybe they really are just best friends."

"Or at least he wants them to be," Deb said sadly. "That poor boy is so blinded by what he thinks he wants, he can't even see what's right in front of him."

"Do you think she feels the same?"

"About just being friends or about her feelings?" Deb asked, smiling as she watched Haley leaned her head on Nathan's arm. They looked so natural together, the way they moved and talked, how they finished each other's sentences when they were telling her stories . She'd seen couples who'd been married for years that didn't seem to be as in sync with each other.

"Both? Either?" Denise answered.

"From what she said, she's got some of the same hangups as Nate. Lots of plans for the future, been hurt in the past..." Deb explained. "She seems determined to keep on her chosen path."

"And the other? Do you think she has feelings for him?"

"Oh yeah. I think she's actually ahead of him there. Have you seen the way she looks at him? I think she might even realize it, or has at least considered it," Deb said quietly. "She's fighting it, but she's not as blind as Nathan is right now. That boy needs a swift kick in his pants so he doesn't let her get away."

"They are young," Denise reminded her. "I think we should just let them work it out for themselves."

"I'm not going to say a word," Deb said, making a motion like she was zipping her lips closed, "Besides, you know how stubborn he is. Me bringing it up would just make it more likely he'd push her away and I think she's good for him. I haven't seen him as happy as he is tonight in a long time and that's amazing considering everything that's going on in his life. I almost forgot how amazing his real smile is."

"Do you think he'll figure it out on his own?" Denise asked, her eyebrows furrowed in doubt. "The boy has a tendency to bury his head in the sand when it comes to his feelings."

"I know. I hope he will, but I fear it'll take something drastic to make him change his mind about acting on it," Deb sighed, "I don't want to see him lose something that could be really special. I know they're young, but those feelings don't come around every day."

"You're preaching to the choir," Denise said, looking over at her son. "James and I were fourteen when we met and I still love him almost 25 years later. I think Quentin is the opposite of Nathan, he wants to find that so bad, that he gets hurt every time he's interested in a girl and then figures out she's not the one."

"He wants what you had. I feel bad that I've been such a terrible example to Nathan in that respect. I've been so scared to trust in another relationship that all he sees is the bad in them, the hurt."

"What about Patrick?"

"You mean the wonderful man I've basically kept on a string the last couple of years, letting him close, pushing him away, then pulling him closer again. Yeah, that's a great example," Deb said, her frustration with herself slipping out. "Haley must be pretty amazing for him to have even let her in as far as he has. Unfortunately, that's a lesson that without meaning to, I taught him well."

"So do something about it."

"Like what? I can't just decide now to finally let Patrick in. I want to and I've even been trying, " Deb scoffed, looking across the room to where the man in question was drinking a beer as he looked over at her, "but it's not fair to him when I'm not even sure what's going to happen. What would I even say if I wanted to take it further, 'Hey, I know I might die soon, but want to come have dates in my hospital room?'"

"I don't want to hear you talk like that and why not? He comes and visits you all the time anyway. He's so in love with you honey. He'd jump at the chance," Denise prodded, "Unless you're still hung up on Dan."

"No...no, that's been over for a long time. Sometimes, I wonder if it was ever love at all. I mean, I thought it was then, but looking back I'm not sure I ever truly knew him. I only knew what he wanted me to see and that's not love, at least not the lasting kind," she looked over at her son, listening to him laugh before turning back to her friend. "The person I thought he was would've never done the things he did. I guess for a long time, I wasn't willing to admit that, even to myself. It was easier to hang onto it as a way of pushing anyone away."

"Then what's holding you back? I know you have feelings for him..."

"I'm scared...scared of getting hurt and even more scared of hurting him. I'm scared that I won't make it and I'm already terrified of leaving Nathan behind, but it'll be even worse if we finally get together..." Deb admitted, tears finding their way to her cheeks.

"I hate to say this because I understand where you're coming from, but you need to make a decision soon. I know you're worried, but if you think there could be a future there, you should reach out and grab it now. If you don't, then I think he deserves to know that," Denise said, squeezing her friend's hand. "This limbo isn't fair to either of you. You need to decide if you're more scared of leaving him behind, or losing him and being here alone."

* * *

"You want to go play some ball?" Marcus asked, looking at his friends as they sat around the kitchen table. "The Y court should be open."

"I don't know..." Nathan said, looking over at Haley. He'd been having a great time, but she'd helped plan this party for him and he didn't want to bail on her or force her to come watch and be bored.

"Go ahead," she smiled, pushing his shoulder lightly. "I can come watch...or stay here if you'd rather..."

"No," Nathan said quickly, "I'd love it if you came, I just...this isn't what you probably expected to be doing tonight..."

"Nathan," Haley shook her head, "I knew your friends were going to be here and I know you. You really think this is a surprise to me? If anything, I'm surprised it took this long."

"Are you sure you're okay, I know you're not a big b-ball fan."

"I've watched enough in my day to know what 's going on and besides," she winked playfully, "I think it's growing on me. What about your mom though?"

He looked at the clock, "I think she's heading back to the hospital soon. I should probably go spend a little more time with her before she does," he said, thankful for the reminder, "um, how about Haley and I will meet you there in an hour?"

"Right," Drake said, shaking his head. "You got wheels now and we have to walk..."

"That's not what I meant," Nathan was quick to try and save the moment, "I mean, I would take you guys too, but there's only two seats and it's not fair to..."

"Look at you all apologizing and crap," Q laughed, throwing his napkin at Nathan's face. "We're just messing with you man. It's cool. We'll go reserve the court."

* * *

"I liked your mom," Haley said as they made the short drive to the Y. "She's pretty cool."

"Yeah," Nathan said, "I've missed her a lot this summer. It's a little easier when I'm at school because I'm so busy, but I've had a lot of time to myself lately and it's hard not to dwell on stuff. She loved you. In fact, she scolded me for not bringing you last time. I had to remind her that there was enough tension then with Dan bringing me," he chuckled as he thought back to her questions about the girl beside him. "What did she say to you after she sent me away?"

"Oh, she wanted me to become her spy in Tree Hill. I'm supposed to send her daily reports on everything you do and make sure you don't get into any jams. I told her that you're a trouble maker so I wasn't sure how much I could do..." Haley broke out in laughter at the look on his face, "you almost looked like you believed me."

"Well, I do know my mom and I wouldn't put it past her," he admitted, "she used to pump Q for information every chance she got."

"Well she didn't ask me anything. In fact, she thanked me for helping her with the party and for being there for you," she said more seriously. "She loves you and wants what's best for you. She just wanted me to know she was grateful you had someone you trusted. I told her I was glad she'd raised such a good man. You've really been there for me too you know."

"I'm grateful for that too," he told her. "You know, it's funny that earlier I said it'd been a crappy birthday, and now it's ended up being one of my favorites."

"And you haven't even gotten to play your basketball yet," she teased him.

"There are some things more important than even that," he told her. "Getting to spend this time celebrating with all the people closest to me is one of them."

* * *

"So that was the infamous Haley?" Quentin asked as Nathan stood in the living room, watching the door close behind his friend as she went to bed for the night in his mother's room.

"Hmmm?" Nathan asked, the question bringing him back to the present.

"You are so crushing on her and I can't blame you. Girl is smokin' hot," Q teased. "So when you going to ask her out?"

Nathan rolled his eyes, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not crushing on her, she's just a friend. You of all people know I'm not interested in dating."

"I know what you keep saying, but I'm looking at you and your words aren't matching your actions bro." Q sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table, "What's the big deal anyway? If you like her, just go for it. It didn't seem like she'd have a problem with it and she's really cool. I haven't seen you act remotely interested in...well, it's been a while."

"Exactly, and I'm sure you remember what happened then too. It's not that I don't like Haley, I think she's great and yes, she's also pretty, but I just don't want to go there, not with any girl. Besides, we've become close friends," Nathan said, plopping down on the couch next to his brother, "I can trust her and tell her things I can't usually talk about. I'm not going to take a chance on ruining that with an ill-fated attempt at a relationship."

"Mind if I ask her then?" Q tried. "'Cause it's been a long time since I met someone as cool as she is and I would seriously love to see what's she's hiding under that..."

"Shut up right now," Nathan said, taking a step closer to his friend. "Don't talk about her like that."

"Geez, Nate," Q's eyes widened as he stepped back, rolling his eyes. "Sure, you don't like her. Right..."

"I don't...I just...You know you don't have the best track record with girls. You have good intentions, but you always end it after 2 or 3 dates and Haley...she deserves better than that okay?" Nathan told his friend. "I don't want to see her get hurt."

"Look, I know you don't and I won't go after her, even though I'm serious that she's great," Quentin told him. "I said that to make a point about you. Guys don't react that way over someone they're just friends with, I thought you were going to hit me."

"Sorry, I'm just protective I guess," Nathan said, running his hands through his hair. "She means a lot to me."

"So go for it man. I know all the reasons you have for holding back, but I think she's different. Maybe she's the one for you..."

"Come on man, you know I don't believe in that crap. All relationships are doomed at some point. Some just last longer than others. Is it really worth all the pain for an illusion?" Nathan shook his head at what he saw as blind optimism, "I mean, my mom thought she loved Dan and look how well that turned out. None of our friends' parents are still together, even my Uncle Cooper has been divorced twice and he's only 28."

"What about my parents?" Quentin said, leaning his head back against the seat, "They made it work. I'd give anything for what they had."

"And look what your mom went through when he died," Nathan reminded him. "She was devastated to the point she couldn't eat or sleep. If it wasn't for Andre needing her so much, she might not have even made it through it."

"Maybe so, but she'd tell you it was all worth it," Q turned to his friend. "I'm not saying you should go propose to the girl or anything, but just try to keep an open mind. Maybe it could be something."

"Can you give it up, please?"

" Fine, don't date her if you don't want to. You could just keep it casual," Quentin said. "The occasional hookup keeps things interesting. Maybe your girl would even be interested in a friends with benefits kind of thing."

Nathan shook his head, knowing he didn't want that kind of life either, the kind of life that could create a child you never knew about. A child that lived it's whole life wondering why it wasn't lucky enough to have two parents. He'd made the mistake of drunken sex before when he was too hurt to stop himself and he'd sworn off both once he was sober again. "Haley and I are just friends and that's the way we both want it."

"Then I suggest you tread very carefully with your 'friend' there in Tree Hill," Quentin said, sitting down and putting his feet up on the coffee table, "If you don't want at least one of you to get hurt, you are walking on very dangerous ground."


	16. Chapter 16

**Ch 16**

Nathan held the door open for a customer to exit before entering the cafe, surprised to find Haley also ready to leave instead of waiting at their usual table, "Where are you heading?" he asked, looking at his watch to makes sure he had the time right, "I thought we were having lunch."

"I'm sorry, didn't you get my text?" Haley asked distractedly, as she searched through her bag for her phone. Her replacement had car trouble and because of it, she was now running late.

"No, my battery died," Nathan answered, noticing she was frazzled and her red lip told him she'd been worrying about something. He placed his hands on her arms to calm her down. It wasn't like her to change plans or to seem so disorganized. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just wanted you to know I can't do lunch today," she sighed, taking a calming breath as she took in the concern on his face. "Luke is having a meltdown and I promised I'd come talk to him as soon as I got off, but things have been crazy here. If I hadn't been running late, I would've probably seen you there."

"Peyton?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Lucas had been moping around the house for days, not even bothering to shower or change clothes most of the time. If he hadn't convinced him to train, he might not have even left his room.

Haley nodded, "Apparently, she's only answered one of his calls and he's convinced she's not coming back or something," she explained. "He doesn't think her texting him back is enough."

"Maybe she's just really busy and doesn't have time for talking on the phone," Nathan pointed out. "She is out there to work and it's only been a few days."

"Try telling him that," Haley groaned. "I probably shouldn't be so annoyed. I know he just misses her, but talking to him is like trying to reason with a five year old sometimes. I really need to get over there before he gets all freaked out and thinks I'm ignoring him too."

"So I guess that means we aren't going to the movie this afternoon either?" Nathan hated to pile another thing on top of her, but he didn't want to show up if she wasn't coming. He wasn't at all surprised as a look of confusion fell over her face, followed by the realization she'd completely forgotten about their plans.

"Crap, I totally forgot about it. I'm so sorry," Haley said, her hand going to her forehead. "Um...I can probably try and meet you there or something. Maybe I could just bring Lucas and..."

"Nah," Nathan said, waving off her suggestion. "Don't worry about it. You look like you've got enough to handle for now."

"Are you sure?" Haley asked, feeling like a jerk. He was being so nice to her and felt like she was being a terrible friend to him, "I feel really bad for bailing on you again."

"It's not a big deal," he said, fiddling with the car keys in his pocket. "I only planned to go because you wanted to. I'll just head over to the Rivercourt and get some shots up, I've been neglecting that lately anyway. Maybe some of the guys will be there and we can get a game going."

Haley could see he was disappointed, but knew there was no point in trying to explain things to him right then. Her relationship with Lucas was sometimes complicated and not always easy for others to understand. She looked back at her watch and knew she had to go, she'd have to make it up to him later. "Okay, we're still on for going to Tric tonight though, right?"

"Yeah," Nathan nodded, "sounds good."

"Thanks for understanding," she told him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Lucas just really needs me right now." She practically flew out the door, leaving him standing alone in the cafe. He turned around and saw Karen had come out from back and was standing there looking at him, her eyes pleading for understanding or forgiveness, maybe both. A month ago, he might have gone over to her to talk or at least stayed for lunch, but instead he turned and left. He wasn't ready to talk to her yet and he come to think of it, he wasn't really hungry anymore either.

* * *

Nathan sat on the bleachers, taking a drink break. The late July sun was brutal and he felt like he'd taken a dip in the river he was so sweaty. Maybe he'd take a short swim to cool off before he showered for the evening. Chuckling at the unaccustomed thought of having a pool just sitting in his back yard, he picked up his phone, deciding to call Quentin. He needed to talk to someone about the conversation he'd had the previous evening and while his first choice had been Haley, he figured Q was actually the more logical one. After all, they'd been friends forever and he didn't have any emotional ties to cloud his judgment.

"Hey man," Quentin answered on the third ring and Nathan could hear him finish chewing something, "What's up? You hit the sheets with Shorty yet ?"

"Damn it Q, can't you be serious for once in your life?" Nathan asked, his voice laced with frustration that working himself hard for over an hour had yet to dull, "Cut the crap."

"What's got your panties in a twist?" Q asked, unfazed by his friend's comment, "You know I'm just playing."

"Yeah, sorry," Nathan sighed in apology, running his hands through his newly shortened hair. He'd gotten Mrs. Fields to cut it while he was home and it felt strange having it so short again. "I'm not upset with you, although I would appreciate if you dropped the Haley stuff. It's not like that and I hoped you'd understand that."

"I get it, I just didn't know you were so touchy about it," Quentin said, feigning hurt. "You two have a lover's spat or something?"

"Q" Nathan's voice had an edge to it.

"Okay, sorry. That was the last one, I promise," he chuckled, enjoying getting a rise out the normally unflappable teen. Nathan had a temper, but it took usually took a lot to get under his skin, "Why are you calling me anyway, weren't you and your 'friend' supposed to go to that movie today?"

"Yeah, but Lucas needed her so she bailed," Nathan explained, trying to sound unaffected by her desertion. He stood and started pacing, "It's cool. I mean, it totally wasn't my kind of thing anyway, but he's totally been monopolizing all her time since his girlfriend left."

"Well, they were best friends before you got there. Maybe this is what they were like then," Q pointed out. "We spent most of our time together when you were here."

"Yeah, but he barely had any time for her when his girl was around. It's like she's his backup girlfriend or something," Nathan complained, kicking at some rocks alongside the court, "This is going to make me sound like a loser, but I miss hanging out with her."

"Actually, you sound jealous," Quentin told him with a chuckle, "you're a jealous loser."

"I'm not jealous okay," Nathan countered, "I just can't believe she's rushing to be at his beck and call after he ignored her for months."

"Jeeeaaalllllous..." Q sing-songed. "You can't stand it that she's hanging out with him instead of you."

"Okay maybe a little," Nathan told him, flopping back on the bench with a sigh. "I got used to having most of her attention and she's really easy to talk to. I could use that right now."

"And I'm not?" Q asked, pretending to be offended, "She's replacing me. Is it because she's prettier?"

Nathan chuckled and relaxed a bit, knowing his friend was kidding. One of the biggest benefits of having the same best friend for most of your life was knowing what they were thinking without having to be told. His thoughts drifted to Haley and Lucas and he wondered if they were the same way. He hadn't really been around the two of them together enough to know, but from what he'd witnessed, Haley seemed to know Luke, but he didn't think his brother was nearly as in tune with her as he thought he was.

"You know that's not true. You're very pretty," Nathan joked back. "Seriously though, she's got more insight into the family than you do. She's known them for a long time and I'd like to get her perspective."

"Ah, this is about your parental figures, got it. So what horrible thing did they do this time? Buy you a yacht?"

"Ha ha. Now who's jealous? Actually, they kind of cornered me last night and wanted to talk. I knew it was coming at some point, but they still managed to catch me off guard. I told them I didn't have anything to say, so they begged me to at least let them explain," Nathan said.

"Well, I told you it was coming and much needed. They spout a bunch of crap, or didn't you listen?" Q asked, knowing with Nathan's temper and feelings on the subject it could've gone either way.

"No, I did, or at least tried to, and they said all the right things, but now I don't know what to believe and I'm more confused than ever," Nathan picked up his ball and started spinning it in his hands, unable to stay still in his agitated state.

"Maybe you're making it more difficult than it has to be man. You don't have to make any decisions now, just go with it and see how it plays out. I know it sucks ass what she said, but we all say stuff we don't mean sometimes. Maybe they'll do better or maybe they'll keep driving you crazy. Either way, you're only there for another few weeks," Quentin reminded him. "Give them this chance and if you don't ever want to see them again after that, you don't have to."

Nathan considered what his friend said and as much as it was true, it also hurt to think about, "Never? I mean, he's my dad. I don't think I could cut him out completely."

"Then maybe that's your answer right there," Q pointed out. "Look, I know you build those damn walls around yourself, but maybe if you'd just let him be your dad a little, you'd be able to feel more like his son."

* * *

"So you never told me how it went...meeting Nathan's mom and his other family," Lucas asked Haley quietly. The more time he spent around his brother, the more curious he was about him and his other life. He'd never broach the subject with his sibling, but it wasn't too hard to ask Haley, "What's she like?"

"She's great. I mean, she's obviously ill, but she was funny and nice...very pretty. I really liked her," Haley thought back, "I know people say he looks like your dad, but I see a lot of her in him too. She's blonde though, like you. Actually, I teased him that maybe you two were switched at birth with your light hair and his dark."

Lucas scowled at her and she laughed so hard she had to hold her sides from the stitch in them, "That's the exact face he made...you seriously looked so much alike just then..."

"That's great Hales, yuck it up," he shook his head. "If you're done anytime soon, you could tell me what you guys did up there."

"Well, we threw him a surprise party and I got to meet some of his friends. They had some great stories to tell and it was cool to hear about what he was like before he came here," Haley said, her eyes filling with laughter as she remembered some of their tales. "I'll admit, some of them surprised me, apparently he has sides we haven't seen yet. I watched them play basketball, we ate at their pub and hung out with his best friend...it was cool."

"Sounds like you had a good time. You've... uh...been spending a lot of time with him lately," Lucas mentioned, trying to act nonchalant when he was anything but. He'd screwed up by not paying close enough attention to her, but he didn't want to lose her.

"You know my dad is around again, you don't have to play his role," Haley told him in annoyance. It was nice that he cared and was actually paying attention to her life again, but that didn't mean she wanted him treating her like she couldn't take care of herself. Where was that interest a few months ago when it would've actually helped?

"Just looking out for you," he told her, wounded at her tone.

"There's nothing to worry about. We're friends and he has no one else here he can trust," Haley reminded him. She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings, but she couldn't help but be a little frustrated. "Besides, I haven't been spending any more time with him than I used to with you before..." she trailed off, not wanting to start a fight by finishing her sentence.

"Before Peyton? I'm sorry..."

Haley nodded, looking away. "I get it, she's your girlfriend. It makes sense you want to be with her when you can. I just didn't expect you to spend ALL your time with her. You always made time for me when you were with Brooke."

"That was easier because you and Brooke got so close and because she was always busy doing her own things," Lucas tried to explain. "Peyton and I...I don't like being away from her, but I never meant to exclude you Hales."

"But you did."

"It goes both ways you know, I wanted to spend time with you too," he argued. "We invited you lots of times, but you didn't want to go."

"Do you know how bad it sucks to be out with you guys? Every time I gave in and tried it, you ended up making out in front of me or you ditched me to be alone," Haley stood up, pacing the floor. She'd held back for too long and she was ready to burst, "It was awkward and embarrassing when I had a boyfriend and lonely and annoying after we broke up. Hell no, I didn't want to do that anymore."

"So you just thought you'd replace me with my brother?"

Haley's heart leapt in her chest for a moment at his unconscious use of the term, but she quickly slid back to frustrated. "UGH," she groaned, sitting down and trying to bring the conversation back to a more calm state. "I didn't replace you. I didn't even mean to become friends with him, it just happened. He's a great guy and if you'd give him more of a chance, maybe it you'd be friends with him too. Then we could all spend time together."

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about what the other had said. How had their friendship come to this point where the quiet was uncomfortable and they didn't know what to say to each other.

"He's not so bad. He's actually been fairly cool about Peyton being gone. We've started working out together in the morning since he won't let me lounge around in bed all day," Lucas grudgingly admitted, surprising Haley by being the one to speak first. "I think it'll help my game come fall."

 _Of course it came down to basketball, as usual._ "Well, sounds like he's trying to be a good brother to me," Haley pointed out.

"Don't call him that," Lucas protested, running his hand over the back of his head. "I'm not ready for that."

"Well you said it first," Haley pointed out, sticking her tongue out at him.

"I did not...I..." Lucas closed his eyes and tried to remember what he'd told her, "Did I?"

Haley grinned and nodded, practically bouncing on the bed. "I knew you'd come around eventually."

"Don't get your hopes up Hales. Just because I may have admitted that we share DNA, doesn't mean I intend for us to be buddies or anything. We have nothing in common, besides basketball."

"Are you kidding?" Haley laughed. "You guys have a lot of similarities, I notice them all the time. Besides, you both picked the same person as your best friend, that should tell you something."

"Is he your best friend now?" Lucas asked, taken aback at the idea. "I mean, I know I haven't really been there for you lately, but..."

"You'll always be my best friend Luke...Nathan is..." Haley hesitated, unsure how to classify her relationship with the tall dark haired Scott. It was a solid friendship, but felt different than what she had with any of her long term friends, and yet just as strong. "I don't know what he is exactly, but he means a lot to me too and I need for both of you to accept that and be okay around each other. I know he's going home before long, but there will probably be visits and stuff over the years too and I want to stay friends with him. I need you to promise you won't cause problems. "

"I told you I would cool it and I have," Lucas reminded her. "I've been nice and we're rubbing along fine. I just don't think that we'll ever be the way you want us to."

"Okay, I get it, but I really care about both of you and you deserve to have that kind of relationship," Haley criss-crossed her legs and leaned forward, "You have both at times wished you weren't an only child and now that you find out you aren't, I don't want you to waste the chance to have that bond."

"I don't think I ever realized how pushy you can be," Lucas groaned, falling back against his pillows. "I said I'd try. That's the best I can do."

* * *

Nathan looked around the club as he walked through the crowd looking for his friend. It wasn't nearly as busy as they last time they'd gone there, but if what Haley said about Peyton helping to run it was true, he was unsure of why they'd chosen to come when it would surely just remind Lucas of her all night. Still, he'd liked most of their friends and figured if Lucas could stop himself from being a total downer, it could be fun.

"So who's playing tonight?" he asked, walking up behind his friend and whispering in her ear.

"Hey," she jumped, startled by his words. She turned around to face him, "Um, no concert. Tonight is Karaoke. Fergie and Junk come every week and they've been begging us to come watch them so we finally gave in."

Nathan was stunned as he took in the view of his friend all dressed up. He'd only seen her in a dress once before for the infamous beach house party, but what she was wearing that night blew him away. Instead of her hair down and wavy, it was pulled up on top of her head with curly tendrils hanging down to frame her face and long graceful neck. She was wearing a dark green mid-thigh dress that hugged all her generous curves and made his mouth go dry just from a glance.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing his discomfort, "Are you still upset with me about earlier? Because I felt really bad about missing our time together."

"What? Oh...um...no," he stumbled, prying his eyes away from her impressive cleavage. "Um, it's fine."

"Okaaay?" she drew out the question, confused at how he was acting. "Is something else wrong?"

"No," he said, finally managing to meet her eyes, "I'm...um...I'm fine...good."

"Okay, well everyone is here except Jake. His mom's sick so he had to stay home with the little one," she explained. "Frankly, if the guys sound like I expect them to, he's probably lucky to miss it."

"Who?" Nathan tilted his head in confusion.

"Junk and Fergie. Are you sure you're okay? You seem kind of out of it," she told him, stepping closer and laying her wrist across his forehead to check his temperature. "You do feel a little warm."

"No, I'm fine," he told her, grabbing a chair and sitting down, unbuttoning another button of his dress shirt . _Unless you count suddenly lusting after your best friend._ "It's been a weird, tiring day, but I'll be okay. I want to talk to you about something later though, when there aren't so many people around."

Brooke came over just then, throwing her arm around her friend. "Doesn't Tutor Girl look totally hot? She usually won't let me dress her up, but I think she was too tired tonight to fight me," she asked, winking at Nathan.

"Um, yeah, she looks nice," he mumbled, looking away toward the stage as a new performer came up there. He needed to get his eyes off of her until he got himself under control. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes for a minute before turning back to the group.

Haley had been a little excited to see Nathan's reaction to her outfit, but was disappointed by his quick dismissal. First he'd acted all weird and now he said she looked nice. Blah. She'd hoped to get at least a good or great, maybe even a beautiful, but guessed that was asking for too much. Skills hadn't even seemed to notice and Tim had told her she looked "Bitchin" before going back to making a fool of himself with Rachel.

"Hey baby," Julian said, coming over and wrapping his arms around Brooke from behind. "How's the most beautiful girl in here?"

"Mmm, you always know just the right thing to say," Brooke grinned, spinning in his arms, "Doesn't Haley look hot too?"

"Um..." Julian stumbled, looking down at his girlfriend. "Is there a right answer to that? Because this could go totally wrong no matter what answer I give."

Brooke giggled and rolled her eyes, "give the honest one. You totally have permission to look, as long as you don't start thinking about her naked."

"Brooke!" everyone within hearing range scolded, including the newly arrived at their side Lucas.

"It's what the other guys here are thinking. I've seen the looks they're giving her," Brooke protested, gesturing toward the other men in the vicinity.

"That is totally not a mental image I want rolling around in my brain," Lucas complained. "As far as I'm concerned, she's still 8 and wearing overalls."

Nathan looked around and realized that Brooke was right, she was drawing stares from some of the other guys around although none of them had dared to breach their circle and speak to her. He couldn't blame them though, she looked amazing.

"You look very nice Haley," Julian complimented, turning back to Brooke for approval.

Brooke rolled her eyes, while Haley blushed awkwardly and tried to pretend she was somewhere else. The last thing she wanted to be doing was fishing for compliments that no one even wanted to give. She knew letting Brooke have her way would end up with her feeling uncomfortable, but she hadn't realized she'd feel humiliated as Brooke put her on display.

"I think she should put a sweater on," Lucas chimed in. "She looks like she washed her clothes in hot water before wearing them. She's practically naked."

"You know what?" Haley snapped, "your girlfriend wears outfits more revealing than this all the time."

"Well that's different," Luke sputtered at being called out. "I...we...she's not like my little sister. It's just not a good look for you."

"I'm not your sister either," Haley snapped back, "and I'm happy to know you think I look like crap."

"That's not what I meant," Lucas tried to backpeddle at the look of anger on his friend's face.

"I know what you meant. You meant I can't pull off the look the way she does and maybe you're right," she said, tears forming in her eyes, "I'm sorry Brooke. This was a really bad idea."

She stormed off and left Brooke staring at the four guys at the table in fury as Tim and Rachel came back from getting their drinks.

"What's going on?" he asked in confusion.

"All you guys are idiots," Brooke said, starting after her friend when Nathan placed hand on her shoulder. She turned, ready to push him off when she saw the look on his face and decided to hear him out. "This better be good."

"Let me go," he asked.

"You're one of the reasons she's so upset in the first place," Brooke pointed out, her hands on her hips in annoyance. She didn't understand why Nathan hadn't told her what he really felt. She knew he'd been impressed, his eyes had practically bugged out of his head when he'd seen her.

"All the more reason for me to be the one who fixes it," he promised. "I've never seen her dressed like that and it caught me off guard, but I promise, I didn't mean to make her feel bad."

"She trusts you," Brooke told him, still unsure of the wisdom of letting him speak to her first. "Please, please don't make her feel dumb for that too."

"I won't," he said, looking around the club but realizing her stature would make her hard to see. "Any idea where she'd go?"

"She's probably out on the loading dock" Brooke relented. "She likes to go there to be alone. Go past the restrooms and the dressing rooms and you'll find it."

Nathan nodded and started to walk away, "Nate?" she called, bringing him back around. "She's not as tough as she tries to act. Be gentle."

* * *

Nathan wandered through what seemed like a maze of rooms and hallways before finally finding the door that led to the outdoor area for loading and unloading supplies. He pushed the door open and was immediately hit by the intense humidity still hanging around from earlier, a far cry from the air conditioned interior.

Haley jumped a little at the sound of the door, figuring Brooke had come to console her, "I told you I'd look stupid. I never should've put on one of your dresses. Now I feel like such an idiot, thinking for even one second that I could feel beautiful for the night."

"You are beautiful," Nathan said, his deep voice carrying through the evening and causing her to spin around. "I'm sorry I didn't say it earlier, I'd just never seen you so dressed up before and it took me by surprise."

"Thanks, but you don't have to say that," Haley said, turning back to the night. "I know I can't compare to Peyton or Brooke, hell even Rachel. I don't have a circle of admirers everywhere I go and I'm more comfortable in blue jeans and t-shirts. It's just a fact of life."

"I think they're the ones that can't compare to you," Nathan suggested.

"Yeah right," Haley scoffed, "you're laying on a bit thick Scott. I thought I could at least trust you to tell me the truth."

"I'm not saying anything I don't mean," he told her, walking closer to stand alongside her. "In fact, I thought you were pretty even covered in flour."

She ducked her head as a small chuckle escaped at the reminder of their second meeting. "Hey," he said, placing his hand under her chin and bringing her eyes up to meet his. "I'm serious. You're gorgeous Hales. I'm sorry I didn't say something earlier. I was too busy giving dirty looks to all the guys who were checking you out."

Haley started to laugh at that, wiping a tear from her eye,"you were not."

"I was," he argued, pretending to cross his heart, "and it was hard work because there were a lot of them."

"Really?" she asked, still unsure.

"Of course," he promised, "Why wouldn't there be?"

"I don't know, I guess I've just always felt frumpy and plain. I grew up with three gorgeous sisters and it never bothered me all the attention they got because I was fine with being one of the guys. As I got into high school, I didn't necessarily want the attention from guys, but I didn't want people to see me as an ugly duckling either and that's what happened hanging out with two swans like Brooke and Peyton. It's hard not to feel inferior with those as your comparisons."

"You're amazing Haley. You shouldn't ever feel inferior to anyone," he told her seriously, before breaking into a smirk as he pulled at the collar of his dress shirt, "except maybe me, I am pretty hot."

"Now see, you were doing so good and you had to ruin it with your cockiness," she laughed, her eyes lighting up in happiness this time at his playful tone.

"Sorry, any way I can make it up to you?" he offered, glad his comment had brought her out of her funk

"You could dance with me," she asked, "I don't want to go back in there yet, but I really like this song."

He strained his ears and could hear the faint melody, although not the singer which he figured was probably a good thing on open mic night. "One dance James," he caved, reaching out his hand. They started to move together and after a dip that had her laughing, she smacked him lightly on the chest, "You said you can't dance."

"No, I said I DON'T dance," he reminded her. "Q's mom made us learn when we were younger. Just don't ask me to dance to anything faster than this though. I'm completely hopeless at that."

"Well you should dance more often," she told him, toying with the buttons of his dress shirt as she enjoyed the feel of being in his strong arms.

"Nope, not going to happen," he shook his head. "You're the only person outside my family that even knows I can dance at all." Haley looked at him skeptically, "I'm serious...this is top secret stuff Hales, I don't do this for just anyone so you should feel special."

"I do," she grinned, resting her head against his chest as his arms came over hers. The song in the background changed without them noticing as they slowed to more of a shifting of feet, "I'm not sure I've ever felt more special."

He looked down, tilting his head in question, "I'm one of 7 kids and I've always been one of the guys. It feels like you're the first person to like me for just me and not one of a larger group or because of who I'm friends with. It might seem like a little thing to you, but it feels like a lot to me."

"Your friends love you," Nathan protested.

"They love who they think I am or maybe who I used to be...I don't know. If I do anything that doesn't fit what they think of me, they just shoot it down like tonight," she tried to explain, she gestured toward her dress. "Even Brooke is usually trying to get me to do something new, something more like her."

"Brooke just wants you to realize how beautiful you are, to have more confidence in yourself, and I really don't think Lucas meant it to sound like it did," Nathan offered. "He was taken off guard."

"So now you're defending him?" Haley asked, pulling back slightly. Of all the times for Nathan to act brotherly, this was not a good one.

"I'm not defending what he said," Nathan promised, pulling her back close, "just maybe his motives. I think the guys are having trouble reconciling the mature version of you from how they've always known you and interacted with you. I'm sure they don't mean to hurt you."

"They never do," she sighed, "but it doesn't always stop it from happening."

"Maybe you just need to talk to them," Nathan considered his next words. He didn't want to upset her further, but the question kept popping into his mind and he was genuinely curious, "Is that why you aren't singing tonight?"

"Partly," she admitted. "Part of it is stage fright, but the other part is that they don't know and they'd probably laugh."

"So?"

"So, it's embarrassing," she told him. "I take a joke as well as the next person, but sometimes it's just not funny or it goes too far."

"They make fun of you?" he asked in surprise, his temper flaring.

"Not the way you're thinking," she softened, not wanting him to think any worse of her friends. "It's never supposed to be mean."

"Making fun of people is mean Hales, it's bullying."

"No, it's not like that," she promised, scrambling for the right words. "Okay, here's an example. Brooke's been trying to get me to try out for cheerleading, but when they heard, all I got from them for weeks were jokes about how clumsy I am and how I'd topple the pyramid or break someone's leg."

"I'm sorry Hales."

Haley shrugged, "They weren't trying to be cruel. I don't think they knew it would hurt. We've always joked about my clumsiness and I could deal with it pretty easily, because cheerleading isn't really my thing," she explained and could see Nathan understood, "but singing actually means something to me. It's personal and I don't think I could bear it if they teased me about it like that. I can't take that chance."

"Well, you should at least sing for me," he told her , "I promise, I won't tease or laugh."

"Yeah," she played off the comment, not sure if she could bring herself to do that. She'd never sung in front of anyone other than her family before and singing for him seemed harder than facing an entire crowd of strangers. "I'm sure I'll do that."

"I'm serious," he said, stopping their movements, "Promise me you will."

She swallowed hard, but nodded in assent. "If you really want me to, I will."

"How about now?"

"No, I don't have my guitar and they're all probably wondering where we went," Haley panicked at the idea. She knew it would take a lot for her to open herself up to him that way and she certainly wasn't ready to do it right then.

"Okay, fine. We can go back in there," he stepped back and released her, feeling almost bereft at the loss of contact, "but I'm going to hold you to it James."

She bit her lip, but agreed as he took her arm and wrapped it through his. "You ready to face them again?"

"I am now."


	17. Chapter 17

**Ch 17**

"You should've seen the tongue lashing I gave Lucas after you ran off. I haven't yelled at him like that since we were a couple," Brooke grinned, remembering how good it had felt to let him have it. After all, forgiving him for cheating on her didn't mean she'd forgotten how badly he'd hurt her.

"You must've scared him into silence then, because he barely talked to me the rest of the night," Haley sagged despondently. In fact, it had been awkward all around and everyone had dispersed much earlier than normal, right after hearing the duo they'd attended for sing.

"Actually, I think he was more upset about the fact that Nathan was able to cheer you up and that you sat with him when you came back," Brooke advised her. Lucas had been ready to go after Haley himself but she had held him back, wanting Nathan to have time with her first. She was just about to let Lucas loose when Haley had returned, her arm entwined with Nathan's and a real smile on her face. She'd been happy to see it, but it had clearly bothered the blonde Scott that his brother had been able to do what was normally his job.

"Well that's just stupid," Haley complained, falling back on her bed in frustration. As much as she'd enjoyed getting to know Nathan, the whole summer had been an emotional rollercoaster for the Scott family and she'd been pulled along for the ride. It was hard to get used to the fact that one of the most stable relationships in her life, had now become rocky for the first time. "Lucas is the one that made me upset in the first place. Maybe if he didn't act like a selfish jerk, other people wouldn't have to be there for me."

Brooke raised her eyebrows at the statement. Lucas and Haley had been best friends before she ever knew either one of them very well. Over the years, no matter what Lucas did, Haley had always forgiven him right away, often going so far to make excuses for his behavior. In fact, there were times when Brooke thought she'd sometimes been too easy on him, when he deserved to grovel. Sure, Haley often managed to take him to task for times when he hurt others, but when it was her he hurt, she just took it and pretended it didn't bother her. This sticking up for herself was new and Brooke liked it. If it was Nathan's doing, then Haley was right and he was good for her. Too bad he wasn't planning on sticking around for much longer, they would make a great couple if they weren't both so stubborn.

"So...I know we were all thinking it last night, but I'm going to ask. What were you doing out there all that time with Hottie Mc Scott?" Brooke wiggled her eyebrows, trying to feel out her friend a bit. "It was so cute how he swooped in to save you. He should really have a cape or something."

Haley rolled her eyes, but silently admitted it wasn't the first time Nathan had "rescued" her. "We talked." She thought about telling her friend more, but hesitated at the thought. She knew Brooke could keep a secret, but she would read into things and jump to conclusions that weren't true. Still, it was the most romantic night of Haley's life and even though they weren't a couple, it was a memory she would hold close and cherish. Somehow it felt like sharing the details with Brooke would make it lose some of it's magic.

"And?"

"That's it. He came out, we talked and looked at the stars for a few minutes, and then we came back in," Haley explained. "He told me Luke felt bad and I had a few minutes to cool down. That's all it took."

"Really?" Brooke was hesitant to believe there wasn't more to the story. Haley had looked too happy when they came back for it to be that simple.

"You know I can never stay mad at Lucas," Haley pointed out. "He never hurts me on purpose, he just doesn't always think before he talks. I was fine after I had a few minutes to decompress."

Brooke thought back to what her friend had said a few minutes earlier. It hadn't sounded like she was over what Lucas had said then, and she was sure Haley was holding something back now. Still, she was too glad to see her friend happy again after the last few days of mopiness caused by a whiny Lucas and she wasn't going to question it any further. That didn't mean she couldn't let her mind go over possible scenarios and what it might take to bring Haley and her hero together.

"There has to be more," she mumbled to herself , not quite ready to let it drop. What could Nathan have possibly said to change her whole demeanor that quickly? She really doubted it was anything to do with Lucas.

"Fine," Haley said with an exaggerated sigh. She'd decided to give in a little, hoping it was enough to satisfy her friend and stall any further questions. "He said I looked beautiful."

"Well you did. What else?" Brooke squealed, plopping herself down beside her friend, "Did he kiss you?"

"Whoa, NO," Haley stopped her friend, "Slow down Tigger. He said I shouldn't let Luke's comment get to me and that I looked beautiful. That's it."

Brooke narrowed her eyes, looking for signs of her friend hiding something but didn't see any. As disappointing as it was, it looked like that's really all that happened. Haley was the most honest, open person she knew. She'd never held anything back from her, not that there was usually much to tell. "Well that's boring," she sighed in disappointment, "I was so hoping for more."

"Sorry I can't entertain you sufficiently with my tales of woe," Haley joked. "I'll be sure to try and have a more interesting story next time."

"Good idea," Brooke told her playfully. "Your life is pretty dull sometimes TG."

"So sorry," Haley snarked back, "We can't all be the life of the party."

"I know," Brooke shrugged and smiled at what she took as a compliment, "So speaking of parties and your boring life, we're going to the beach this afternoon, want to come?"

Haley hesitated at the idea of being around the same group of people again after the previous evening, especially her frustrating best friend, "Is Lucas going?"

"Nope. He wants to sit in the dark and brood about Goldilocks. We can invite Nathan though if you want," Brooke offered, still not giving up on playing matchmaker between the two. She was sure there were sparks there if she could just get them to admit it.

"That would be great. I've bailed on him the last few days and it would be nice to offer him a place to avoid being home for a while," Haley mentioned. The tension in the Scott house was a known problem and something she was much more comfortable talking about than the previous night.

"Is it still that bad?"

"It's like everyone is walking on eggshells, except of course for Lucas, who is too wrapped up in missing Peyton to even notice what's going on with the rest of them," Haley gave the situation update. "I wish there was something I could do, but so far I haven't come up with anything."

"I know I don't know the details, but obviously something happened," Brooke offered, "Maybe you could talk to Karen about it."

"I don't know," Haley hedged, uncomfortable with the idea of talking to her best friend's mom for the first time she could ever remember. "I can't say I'm exactly happy with her right now."

"Maybe, but you know her and even Dan better than Nathan does. It would probably be easier for them to talk to you than him and vice versa," Brooke pointed out, "Maybe you could negotiate a truce or something."

"Yeah maybe," Haley said doubtfully, "I'll think about it."

* * *

Nathan stood as spotter while Lucas raised the bar above his chest for the last time in his set. They had gotten into a bit of a routine with their morning workouts. Most days Nathan ran and by the time he got back, Lucas was waiting for him in the weight room to start. The first couple of days there'd been tension and very little talking, but they'd started to converse more, usually on safe subjects like sports. Now they talked more comfortably, but hadn't reached a level where they felt like sharing more personal details of their lives. Still, Nathan felt he needed to say something about what happened the night before and was willing to test the tentative bond to do it. "I don't know what's up with you, but you were kind of a dick to Haley last night."

"I know," Lucas nodded, sitting up on the bench and wiping the sweat from his forehead, "but, I swear I didn't mean it the way she thought. It took me by surprise seeing her dressed like that and I didn't like it."

"I believe you," Nathan moved to put more weights on the bar before he took his turn, "but you've got to face the facts. You might still think of her like she's 12, but she's not and she doesn't want to be treated that way. The teasing all the time, treating her like one of the guys, the thinking she doesn't have the right to act or dress like other girls...it's not cool man."

Lucas sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "She's never been like the other girls though... and I know it's my fault for being so caught up in myself recently, but it's like suddenly I blinked and my Haley was gone. She's always been so different and amazing, so...I don't know...Haley. It feels like the girl I knew was suddenly replaced by a woman that I don't understand anymore, and that scares the crap out of me."

"So get to know her again," Nathan shook his head, annoyed at his brother's attitude, "because you're really missing out if you don't." He sat down on the bench, debating on saying more before deciding it needed to be done. "She really loves you and is there for you, but you take it for granted. I know that I've spent a lot of time with her this summer, but I also know that is mainly because you wouldn't. I've tried to be a good friend to her, but I won't be around when school starts and when guys come trying to date her, as I'm sure they will." He took a deep breath, not liking the idea anymore than his brother seemed to, "She's going to need you look out for her, not to stop her from living, but to keep an eye out for people who might hurt her. I guess since I won't be here, I need you to do it for me too, because she's important to me and I hate the thought of something or someone causing her pain."

"I'll be there, I will" Lucas vowed, "I won't lose sight of what's important again."

"Good," Nathan nodded, taking a deep breath and laying down under the bar, "Because you're one of the people who's hurt her and she deserves an apology."

* * *

Nathan arrived at the designated section of the beach, glad that they were meeting at the public portion and not further away at the Scott beach house. He'd never been to a real beach before, but figured other than needing a towel and swim trunks, there wasn't much to figure out.

He took off his shoes and socks and walked onto the beach, the hot grains of sand feeling strange as they squished between his bare toes. Scanning the sea of bodies, he spotted the group he was looking for over near the volleyball nets set up to his left and started heading toward them. The first thing he noticed as he got closer was that Haley and Rachel were arguing over something and whatever it was, the rest of the group was just standing around watching.

"He isn't your slave," Haley pointed out, already sick of Rachel and how she treated people. She didn't know why Tim insisted on bringing her to things, it was obvious to everyone except him that she wasn't really interested in him. "You could set up some of your crap yourself."

"Just because you're lonely, doesn't mean the rest of us can't be happy. You're just jealous that Timmy wants me," Rachel answered her, running her hands over Tim's shoulder. "He likes doing things for me."

Tim looked up from making sure there were no wrinkles in the blanket she'd brought to lay out on, "it's okay Haley, really, I don't mind. She says she'll get lines in her tan if the blanket is bunched up and I know how important it is to her to look good."

"It's all for you baby," she told him, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah right," Haley mumbled as Tim went back to work, setting up an umbrella and getting his date a bottle of water. She wanted to scream at him that Rachel was just using him, but she wasn't sure what the redhead's motive was and Tim really did seem to enjoy spending time with her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, telling herself it wasn't worth the fight as she went back to setting out her own towel.

"Hey, Nate," Skills said, noticing their guest approaching. "Some of us were going to play some volleyball, you up for it or you going to be a girl and sit here getting a tan?" he threw the jibe at Julian who was rubbing lotion on his girlfriend's back, pausing only long enough to flip him off.

"Sure, sounds like fun," Nathan said, looking over at Haley, noticing she was still annoyed although he hadn't been able to hear the argument, "You going to play?"

"Yeah right," Mouth jumped in, chuckling at the idea. "Haley doesn't do sports."

"She'd most likely get tangled in the net," Rachel taunted, throwing a disdainful look at the little blonde. "I'll play though, as long as I can be on your team."

"I'm not sure who's deciding teams," Nathan shook his head, as usual being uncomfortable around the redhead, "You sure you don't want to play Hales?"

"Haley wants to stay here with us," Brooke jumped in, noticing her friend was a bit flustered. "There are things worth getting all sweaty for, especially with guys," she teased, placing her hand on Julian's bare chest, "but volleyball isn't one of them. "

The group just shook their heads and laughed, making their way toward the roped off court. Nathan broke off and turned back to Haley, "Mind if I leave my stuff here?"

Haley reached up and took it from him, setting it along side hers. She noticed Nathan was rather pale, "Did you put any sunscreen on? You don't want to get burned."

"No, I think I'll be okay though," he shrugged. "I don't usually burn."

"How much time to do you spend out in the sun with your shirt off?" Haley asked, embarrassed slightly by the question as she practically drooled at the defined muscles of said chest.

"Good point, but I didn't bring any. I'll be okay...I think," he said, now doubting his decision. "Maybe I'll just put my shirt back on."

"Come here," Haley laughed, reaching into her bag and grabbing a bottle. "Lucky for you, girls remember this kind of stuff."

"We have to," Brooke laughed, "guys never do."

"Hey," Julian argued, "I do. I have three different SPFs in my bag."

"That's because you're not normal honey," Brooke teased, placing her hand on his cheek and kissing him, "but that's okay, because I like you just the way you are. You're all man where it counts."

Julian wiggled his eyebrows as he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's waist and pulled her on top of him, causing Nathan and Haley to both turn away.

"Not shy, are they?" Nathan shook his head, taking the lotion from his friend and starting to put some on.

"You get used to it," Haley laughed, "at least they keep it PG for the most part."

"You coming Nate?" Skills yelled from the court, waiting for him to join them.

"Here, can you help me? I'll do the front, you do the back. It'll be faster," Nathan asked her, taking a large glob on his hand and then handing her back the bottle. He knelt down in front of her and started rubbing his part in.

"Yeah...um...okay," Haley said, fumbling with the slick bottle a little before managing to squirt some on her hands. She moved to her own knees and knelt behind him, nervous at the idea of putting her hands on the broad expanse of muscle before her.

"Hurry up man," Skills yelled

Haley took a deep breath and put her hand on his back, making him jump a little at the cold feel. "Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed that she hadn't remembered to rub it between her hands to warm it a little.

"No problem," he said, finishing rubbing some into his arms. "It actually felt good with this heat. Can you get my neck too?"

"Mmm hmm," she responded, not able to even find words as she rubbed in the lotion. Looking up for a moment, she noticed Rachel's glare of hatred and rolled her eyes. If Rachel's endgame to this was getting Nathan, she was going about it the wrong way. Nathan didn't seem like the jealous type and if anything, he seemed almost scared of the redhead with her weird style of aggressive come-ons and then playing hard to get by flirting with Tim. Unfortunately, at their age, most boys only cared about getting laid which was why Rachel had 4 guys fawning over her at the moment and Haley was only serving as a friend to one.

"All done," she said, patting him on the back as she finished, feeling oddly depressed by her train of thought. Even when you weren't interested in dating, it was nice to feel attractive and appreciated.

"Thanks Hales," he turned and grinned at her. "You're the best."

"Yeah, that's me," she said, sitting back down on the towel as he walked away. Sighing, her shoulders slumped a little, "Everyone's best buddy."

She watched as Rachel pulled off her shirt and then shorts, purposely bending over to show her thong clad behind as she did so. When she straightened up, all she was left wearing was a hot pink string bikini that didn't cover much of anything, and a taunting smile as she noticed most of the males in the vicinity watching.

"You know," Brooke said, apparently done making out with her boyfriend for the moment, "if you put yourself out there, guys would notice you too."

"I don't want a guy," Haley protested, "especially one that's only interested in me because he gets to see me practically naked."

"Then don't act jealous of Rach-ho, 'cause that's all they see with her," Brooke reminded her. "Besides, guys or not, you should take off your clothes and work on your tan."

"I can't, because I let you talk me into this two piece," she complained. "I would feel more comfortable in my suit."

"Oh come on Haley, your suit looks like it belongs to a 10 year old. Besides, the one you have on doesn't even show much," Brooke teased her, gesturing to her own red and black string bikini. "I won't even wear it because it stops half my body from getting sun."

Haley considered what Brooke said, realizing she wouldn't get much of a tan at all if she left her shorts and t-shirt on. She sighed, realizing that once again her friend was convincing her to do something she wasn't sure she was comfortable with as she pulled her shirt off and wiggled out of her shorts. Looking down, she realized it wasn't that bad. The tankini only left about an inch of her pearly white midriff showing, but it was the deep neckline that she was more concerned with. As long as she was laying down though, no one would really see her anyway. She put on sunglasses and laid on her back, closing her eyes and trying not to think about what was going on over at the volleyball court.

* * *

"You're pretty good," Nathan told Rachel as they walked back to the group after finishing their first game. "I'll admit I was surprised."

"I played when I was younger, but the polyester uniforms gave me hives so I stick to cheerleading now. I'm not nearly as good as you are though," she purred, reaching for Nathan's bicep and squeezing it playfully, "You're so strong and athletic."

"Yeah," Nathan said awkwardly, pulling away and plopping himself down on his towel now spread out next to Haley. "That's from all the work I do for basketball."

"Well, you're doing something right," Rachel winked, trying not to get upset by his avoidance. "Maybe I could train with you sometime. I'd really like to get tighter abs," she trailed her hand over her abdomen, "You seem to really know how to work that part."

"Yeah," Nathan said, "but I usually work out with Lucas or my dad so..."

"I don't mind," she told him, pouting her lips, "I can handle two guys at once."

"I'll bet," Haley coughed, drawing a grin from Nathan and a look of disdain from Rachel.

Tim came over from getting a drink and told Nathan good game before reaching for the redhead's hand and pulling her off to their spot. Nathan breathed a sigh of relief at her exit, "Ugh," he shivered, looking over at Haley, "she's like a lion or something, always ready to pounce."

Haley laughed, sitting up and looking at him, "It's a game to her."

Nathan gulped at the first real sight of Haley in her suit. She looked amazing and he cursed Quentin for putting ideas in his head that shouldn't be there. She was his friend and he needed to get his eyes back up to her face and away from how good she looked in the simple swim suit.

"Oh, uh, well," he stumbled a bit, trying to remember what they were talking about. Finally latching onto the information he responded, "She's apparently not smart enough to know when someone doesn't want her."

"Come on," Haley narrowed her eyes, taking his discomfort to mean he wasn't being truthful, "you aren't the least bit interested? I wouldn't hate you if you were, you know. I don't know many guys that would turn her down."

"Not at all," Nathan promised, knowing it was one hundred percent the truth. Honestly, with Brooke and Haley here, he figured the easy vibe she gave off was the only reason anyone was. "I don't have any desire for a random hookup and that's all it would ever be with someone like her."

"Me either," Haley smiled in relief. She had no claims on Nathan and while it would bother her to see him with just about anyone, it would really hurt to see him with the redhead who'd insinuated herself into their close group.

They sat for a few minutes and Nathan drank a water that Haley handed him from her cooler, "We're going to play another game," he gestured toward the court, "you sure you don't want to join in?"

"I really suck," she shook her head. "I know I get a little frustrated that they pick on me about my lack of coordination, but that doesn't make it any less real of a thing. Besides, the guys would all make a big deal and tease me if I do. It's easier just to not make a fool of myself and not give them new ammunition."

"I'm sorry we've made you feel that way," Lucas said, moving forward from where he'd approached them from behind, "None of us ever meant to make you feel bad Hales."

Nathan gave him a nod and stood up, allowing Lucas to take his spot, "I'll be over on the court if you need anything or want to join in."

Haley forced a smile as she realized Brooke was watching to see if she needed rescued from Big Bad Lucas. She might not be sure she was ready to talk to him, but she didn't need help either.

"Why haven't you ever told me?" he asked, "I never realized."

"Because it didn't bother me when we were younger and by the time it really started to get to me, you were never around to have that conversation with," Haley pulled her knees up to her chest in a protective move, using them like a shield. "It's not exactly the kind of thing you want to bring up in front of your friend's beautiful, popular, at least semi-coordinated girlfriend,"

"That's not fair," Lucas argued, sitting down on his brother's towel. "It's not like we haven't had any time just the two of us. Maybe not as much as we used to, but we still had some. Instead, you tell Nathan who you barely know?"

"Usually at work," Haley pointed out, "not exactly conducive to this topic. Besides, I didn't tell him, he figured it out on his own, like I guess I hoped you would. You were supposed to know me better than anyone else, but you never even saw what it took him a couple outings to realize."

Lucas' face dropped at that admission. He thought for a few minutes about the times they'd teased her recently and her reactions and realized she was right. He should've picked up on it.

"He called me a dick, you know...earlier today," he gestured toward the court. "Basically told me I've been a crappy friend and that I needed to get my butt here to fix things. I guess he was right."

"He usually is," Haley rested her head on her arms as they balanced on her knees, "Things were so much easier when we were younger," she mused, "everything was simple then."

Lucas agreed with her, "There were no divided loyalties or broken hearts, no long lost brothers or missing parents, no tensions at home or with each other. We didn't even realize how good we had it until things weren't so perfect anymore."

"How is it at home? Nathan hasn't really said anything about it lately. I thought maybe he was going to last night, but he never did," Haley couldn't help but ask. "It's not good for any of you to have all that hanging over you."

"I guess my parents talked to him, but he hasn't really responded yet. The ball's in his court for now," Lucas shrugged. "I try to stay out of it for the most part, it's none of my business."

"Yes it is," Haley told him, "Did you realize that the big fight was started partly because of you? Your mom was going off on me about how you bailed on your brother's birthday and he stepped in to defend you."

"From what I heard, it sounded like he was defending you," Lucas pointed out.

"Maybe me too," Haley admitted, "but he was definitely defending you. He was acting just like I'd expect a brother to."

"Can you drop it Haley, just for today? Please?" Lucas groaned. "I swear I'm trying and things are improving, but I just don't want to worry about it right now. I want to pretend for one day that we're 12 again and none of it matters."

She nodded her head, rolling her eyes as she saw his relief, "You know it's only because I want what's best for both of you."

"Hey Luke?" Junk yelled, getting their attention, "Come join in. We're getting our butts kicked over here."

Lucas looked at Haley uncertainly. He was trying to be a better friend and make it up to her for not being there for her. It was the whole reason why he'd changed his mind and come to the beach in the first place, and now at the first opportunity he was ready to abandon her again, "Why don't you come play with us?"

"Yeah, no thanks," Haley waved him off, "You can go though."

"Come on Hales, like we we're 12 right?" he pleaded with her, "Don't worry about anyone else, I swear we won't tease you. It'll be fun."

Haley bit her lip, looking over at the other people on the court. They had been having a lot of fun and she could always hope that the ball didn't come to her. Besides, if she expected Lucas to try, she needed to do the same, "Okay, I'll play."

Haley, concerned about things staying put while she played, put her t-shirt back on and they walked over to the court where they were split onto opposite teams with Haley joining Nathan's team. He pointed to a spot next to him and she happily moved that way, "If anything comes near me, please take it," she asked him, almost desperately, "I have no idea what I'm doing."

He chuckled, playfully rolling his eyes at her and nodded, "you're such a girl. How did you ever end up 'one of the guys'?"

"I could beat most of them up?" she offered, "I don't know. I was up for anything they did except sports."

Nathan shook his head and looked across the net where the server was getting ready to restart the game. "I'll cover for you as much as I can."

"Okay," she took a deep breath, "I'll try not to get in your way or make either one of us look stupid."

Nathan laughed, "Just be ready in case it comes right at you. If nothing else, throw your arms up in front of your face like this," he showed her how to put her arms up so the ball would bounce off, "it's way better to miss the ball than take one to the nose."

They made it through the last few points of that game without Haley having to touch the ball, but Nathan's help didn't go unnoticed or uncommented on by at least one member of their team, "You know Haley, it would actually be better to have no one rather than you. You just get in Nate's way."

"It's not her fault. I should apologize to her, " Nathan defended, "I'm just really competitive."

"But you weren't like that earlier," Rachel argued, looking across the net. All of a sudden , she brightened, sure she'd figured it all out, "Oh, I get it. It's because Lucas is over there now. Come on Natey, that should make it even more important to have someone good out there with us. She's dead weight," she looked Haley up and down, "a lot of it."

"Why you little," Haley started to go after her but Nathan pulled her back, "She's not worth it Hales," he whispered before looking back at the redhead.

"Leave Haley alone and don't call me that," Nathan told her, his voice laced with frustration. He'd never had any desire to be mean to a girl before, but she was really starting to test his patience.

"It's understandable for her to be upset," Rachel said, looking at Haley and speaking like she was talking to a little kid, "I used to be a fat girl with a little head too."

"I really hate her," Haley said, turning around and stomping back to her position as Nathan followed.

"I gotta say I'm not a fan either," Nathan agreed, digging his feet in the sand a bit. "Just try to ignore her. This is the last game and then we can swim or something else away from her."

The team rotated and it was Haley's turn to serve, "You okay?" Nathan asked, "Just serve it underhand, it's easier."

"I've done it in gym, I'm just not very good," Haley nodded, wiping her sweaty hands on her shirt.

"She's right, she sucks," Rachel added, having overheard them.

"It doesn't matter," he promised, moving so his back was turned to Rachel, "If you hit it out, we'll just get it back, okay? No worries."

Haley nodded and went to step behind the baseline. She thought about doing as Nathan suggested and hitting it underhand, but decided to try overhand instead. Everyone else had done it that way and she figured it couldn't be much harder. Besides, she already knew she was terrible the other way.

She tossed the ball up in the air and it went way too high, drifting to the side a little. She let it drop as she'd seen other players do and decided to try one more time. This time, she tossed it and hit it as hard as she could, putting all her rage against her snotty teammate and her frustration into being the clumsy one, into the shot. She connected and it sailed forward, moving toward the net at a surprising speed, but was way too low and hit the redhead on the back of the head, knocking her forward onto her knees from her stance.

"What the hell was that?" Rachel shrieked as she quickly got up, holding her head and charging toward the blonde before any could even get to her.

"Oops," Haley said, shrugging her shoulders as Nathan and Fergie stepped between them, "My bad."

"You did that on purpose you little bitch," Rachel yelled, trying to get past Nathan.

"Actually, it was probably an accident," Lucas argued, coming over to help as the other players watched in fascination, hoping for a catfight, "You said yourself Haley doesn't serve well."

Rachel fumbled for words, unsure whether to make herself look like a fool for saying Haley couldn't serve or arguing it was done on purpose. The truth was, as little sense as it seemed to make, she was sure the blonde had targeted her, but had no way to prove it, "Fine, whatever."

Haley looked at Lucas in disappointment. He'd been surprisingly encouraging the whole time they'd been out there and hadn't once mocked her, even though she was sure he knew exactly what was going on and why she never touched the ball. None of the other guys had said a word either, which she had been sure was his doing until she heard his words. She was starting to feel hurt until he winked at her and she realized he was just using Rachel's own words against her, making her look like a fool so she'd shut up about Haley.

Rachel and Tim walked off the court and headed to get her some ice from the cooler as Nathan retrieved the ball and tossed it under the net. He returned to his spot next to Haley with a grin on his face, "Did you really do that on purpose?"

"I wish," Haley admitted sheepishly. "I didn't aim at all, I just threw it up and swung as hard as I could. I'm lucky I didn't miss it completely."

"Well Karma is real and it works in funny ways sometimes," he laughed. "She deserved every bit of that."

Haley agreed and giggled, her smile stretching her face wide, "I think that was the most satisfying thing I've done in a sporting event...ever."

The teams continued the game, each down a player, and eventually Lucas stepped up to serve with his team down by one and game point for his opposition. He considered trying to serve it at Haley, who was obviously he weakest link, but couldn't bring himself to do that to her for a game that didn't even matter. Instead, he aimed to the left in an attempt to keep it away from Nathan as he was clearly the receiving team's best player. He got it over and it was immediately bumped back over the net by one of the boys playing with them. Lucas' team played it and set it up for one of their guys to go up and spike it. He hit it hard crosscourt and straight at Haley who at the last second threw up her arms to protect her face as she'd been instructed. The ball hit off her forearms and back over the net, landing on the rope for game point and the win.

"You won it Hales," Nathan laughed, coming over and picking her up before swinging her around in a circle and then setting her down, "My heart stopped there for a second there, but you did it."

She laughed as her teammates, except for Rachel, congratulated her and then some of Lucas's team did as well. "Nice Job Hales," Lucas grinned. "If I'd known you were their secret weapon, I wouldn't have encouraged you to play."

"You know me," she giggled, enjoying her new position. "Always full of surprises."

Nathan waited for the attention to die down a little before moving back to her side, this time holding a water. "You did great."

"Thanks for the tip," she responded, shaking her head, "I can't believe it actually worked."

"Hey," Nathan pretended to be offended, "Were you doubting my advice?"

"No, I was doubting my ability to follow it right," she promised, taking a swig of the water before she led him away from the court and down closer to the water, "I guess everyone gets lucky once in a while."

"I was proud of you," he told her as they walked side by side, "for having the guts to get on the court in the first place and even more for how you handled Rachel. The game winning play was just a bonus."

Haley smiled, basking in the compliment as they continued walking, soon approaching a rocky area where they climbed up on the boulders and sat down, letting their feet dangle in the water that came up to the front of it. "Thank you," she told him, looking down at the water as she spoke, "for what you said to Lucas. I know you're in a tough spot with him and you didn't have to make it worse trying to help me."

"I didn't do much," Nathan shrugged off the praise, "He already knew he was wrong. I just gave him the encouragement to do something about it."

"He also told me Dan and Karen talked to you," Haley ventured, hoping he'd confide in her. "I know I haven't been around much, but I'm here now if you want to talk."

Nathan leaned back, closing his eyes and letting the sun beat down on his face for a moment, "Karen swears that what I heard was never how she felt and they said some other things about how much they care and want me to be part of their family...you know...all the things I expected they'd say. It's just harder to believe it...you know."

Haley nodded, "I guess you just have to give it time and let them prove they mean it."

"Yeah," Nathan said, looking back out at the ocean. "I keep thinking about the letters too, you know. What if she really was the one that kept them from Dan? I mean, I guess I can sort of understand where she was coming from, but being the person who missed out on so much because of it, it's hard to let go of."

"Are you sure it was her?" Haley probed, "because I understand why you don't trust her, but it just doesn't sound like something she would do. Of course, we all do things we wouldn't normally do when we're desperate."

"I don't know," Nathan admitted, taking a small rock and scratching at the surface of the boulder he sat on, "but I can't think of anyone else with motive. I mean, my grandparents seemed pretty upset about it and Keith has been cool. Who else would've even had the chance?"

"I don't know," Haley wished she could help him, give him an enemy to rail against instead of this constant doubt and wondering. "I wish I did."

Nathan looked up and saw that Lucas was making his way down the beach toward them, "Looks like Lucas is taking his revamped best friend role seriously."

Haley's eyebrows furrowed in confusion until Nathan pointed him out. Haley sighed, "I hope he's not going to go all crazy overprotective now."

"If he does, just tell him," Nathan advised. "He can't read your mind."

"Well why not? Sometimes I think you can," she countered, pouting slightly.

Nathan shook his head no, "I just pay closer attention to things. My coaches call it a gift on the court, noticing little details that can make or break a play, but I think it's just being conditioned to be more observant than most people."

"Nathan, Haley," Lucas arrived at their little spot and climbed over the rocks to sit next to them. "Most everyone is going into the water now, so I thought I'd head home."

"You haven't been here that long," Haley protested, "If you don't want to swim, you can hang with us."

Lucas looked over her head at Nathan and gave him a nod, "Nah, I just came because I needed to say some things and I did that. Getting to see you knock Rachel down and make the winning play in the game was just a bonus."

Haley couldn't help the huge smile that spread across her face at the reminder, "Thanks for coming. It meant a lot to me to hear it."

"I'm sorry it took so long," Lucas gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek, "I'll see you guys later."

"Did you hear that? He said you guys," she grinned as Lucas retreated. "He's warming up to you."

Nathan just rolled his eyes at her teasing, "He just doesn't want to piss you off again. You want to go join the rest of the group?"

"Yeah, I'm in a huge rush to be around Rach-Ho some more," Haley said sarcastically, "No thanks." She leaned back, looking out at the ocean, "Besides, I like it here."

Nathan looked out at the water and then back at the girl sitting next to him, "I'm starting to like it here too."


	18. Chapter 18

**I'll be going on vacation in the morning and gone for 8 days, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will get posted, but I'll do my best. Enjoy.**

 **Ch 18**

Nathan knocked on the door of the James house, his hands shoved deep in his pockets as he looked around the quiet neighborhood and waited for someone to answer. They hadn't planned on doing anything together that day, but he needed to talk to her and it couldn't wait. No matter what was going on, she somehow seemed to be able to help him make sense of things and he desperately needed that ability right then. He was about to try the doorbell when the door opened, revealing Haley's father.

"Hey Nathan, come in," Jimmy James smiled at their early morning guest, surprise showing on his face. He'd met Nathan several times and liked the boy, but it wasn't usual for him to show up without at least calling first. "Haley didn't tell us you were coming."

"Yeah, she didn't know," Nathan admitted, rocking back on his heels. "I just...Is it okay if I talk to her?"

"Sure," Jimmy closed the door and stepped back further into the room, "How are things going with your mom? Any setbacks?"

"They're good," Nathan smiled. It was nice to have at least some good news for once, "It seems like the treatment is working for now. She'll be done pretty soon and then we'll just have to wait and see."

Mr. James nodded, clapping him on the back. "She'll pull through. She's got a lot to live for."

"Thanks," Nathan appreciated the sentiment. There was just something about Haley's parents that made him feel like they genuinely cared. She was really lucky to have them. "We really hope so."

"You going to join us for breakfast?" Jimmy asked as they walked in further, "Lydia is making her famous egg casserole. I swear, you've never had anything like it, it's amazing."

"Sounds great and I'd love to, but I'll have to see what Haley has planned," Nathan put off answering, just wanting to get to her. "You mind if I head up?"

"No, go ahead," Jimmy told him, "just let us know if you want to stay and we can set an extra place."

Nathan thanked him and headed up the stairs, as always marveling at all the family photos on the walls. He was surprised as he reached her room to hear music coming from the mostly closed door. Pushing it open, he could see Haley sitting on her bed with her back facing him, headphones perched on her ears. She was playing a song he'd never heard before on her guitar and singing along. He pushed the door open a little further and leaned against the doorjamb, enjoying the music.

"Wow," he said when the song ended, his jaw dropping as he found himself clapping. "That was amazing Hales."

She spun around, almost falling off the bed from the shock of his appearance, "What are you doing here?"

"I stopped by to talk, but I heard you playing and I ..."

"You thought you'd just invade my privacy?"

"Whoa, I didn't... I'm sorry..." Nathan was tongue tied. Between the surprise of her voice and her reaction to him hearing her, he was lost as to how to respond. He hadn't even imagined she'd be upset, but the look on her face clearly showed her displeasure. He felt like kicking himself for intruding on something she obviously meant to be private, "The door was open and...I didn't mean to...but you were so good and I couldn't help myself."

Haley took a deep breath and set her guitar down, turning her back to the door as she fought to gather her composure. She knew she shouldn't have snapped, it wasn't like he was spying on her or anything. She had been caught off guard, but that didn't give her an excuse to lash out.. "No, I'm sorry, you didn't do anything wrong," she picked up her music and set it on her dresser, using the time to hopefully cool her red cheeks. "I was just surprised, I guess. How much did you hear?"

"I'm not sure," he thought about letting her off by saying he hadn't heard much, but he couldn't bring himself to lie. He'd listened enough to know how great she was and she deserved to hear it, even if it embarrassed her a little. "Most of the song I think. What were you singing?"

"Oh, that was just something I've been fiddling with," she shrugged, keeping her distance from him. She wasn't sure she wanted to talk about this. Her music was something that was hers and she guarded it zealously. It was her escape, her haven from the rest of the world and it was scary having someone else invade it.

"Well it sounded amazing Hales," he told her honestly, stepping further into the room. "I was blown away."

"You don't have to say that," she pushed her hair behind her ear, dipping her head. "It's just something I do for fun."

Nathan moved forward and reached out his hand, tilting her chin upward to look into his eyes, "I'm not just flattering you Haley. You know you can always trust me to tell you the truth, right?"

"Yeah," she admitted, her eyes sliding from his, "of course, but this is different..."

"No, it's not," he insisted, pulling her gaze back with the intensity of his look, "I wouldn't lie about this either Hales. I mean, I might try to cushion the blow a little if you really sucked or something," he grinned and Haley rolled her eyes at his comment, "but I'm totally serious when I tell you that you were great."

"Thanks," she conceded that he at least felt he was being honest. She moved to pull away and he reluctantly let her go, "My dad taught me to play when I was a kid. We used to play and sing together a lot back then. We haven't done it much the last couple of years, but I still fool around with it from time to time. It's a release for me, a way to deal with things and get away from the everyday world for a while."

"Well that sounded like a lot more than fooling around," he told her, knowing she was downplaying the importance of it to her. "I don't understand why you haven't sung for people before, especially your friends."

"I don't know, it's just...it's personal. I write my own songs and they're not always things I'm willing to share with other people," she tried to explain, not entirely sure she knew all the reasons herself. She put her guitar in its case and closed it, keeping herself busy so she didn't let on how affected she was by him hearing her. "I do it for me, not for anyone else. It's my therapy in a way."

"I understand that, but it's a gift Hales," he reached for her hand, forcing her to stop fidgeting, "You could really touch people if you were willing to share it."

She looked up at him and could see that he really meant it, the blue of his eyes sparkling with sincerity, "I don't know if I could. It would be like sharing my most personal thoughts with the world. Besides, it's too hard to play in front of people. I get up there and I lose it. My brain just goes completely dead and I forget everything I'm supposed to do. I just...I can't."

Nathan backed off, not wanting to push her when he could tell she was on edge about it, "Just think about it, okay?"

She agreed before breaking his gaze and moving away to sit on the edge of her bed. She pulled her knees legs up under her as she eagerly changed the subject, "So, what brought you here today? I wasn't expecting you."

"Oh...yeah, I got some news and I thought maybe we could talk," he moved to the shelves, looking at the pictures she had there. He'd been so distracted by her singing that he'd almost forgotten why he'd come. Now it all came rushing back and he felt the weight of it, the confusion that filled his mind.

"Sure," Haley said, tucking her hair behind her ears. She could tell by the suddenly serious cast of his features that whatever it was bothered him more than he'd probably like to admit, "What's going on?"

Nathan kept his back to her, wondering how you say something like he was about to without it sounding harsh and insensitive. He decided there really was no good way and turned, leaning back against her dresser for support. "My grandparents died. I found out late last night," he blurted out

"The Scotts?" Haley gasped, reaching out to him while immediately wondering how Lucas was handling it.

"No, no...sorry," he quickly clarified, moving forward to sit next to her on the bed. He bent at the waist and placed his hands together between his knees, "My mom's parents, the Lees."

"I'm so sorry Nathan. What happened?" Haley moved closer and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"A car accident," he told her, his tone emotionless. He still felt numb and he wasn't sure if it was because he couldn't handle it, or because he didn't care. Neither option was one he would be proud of, "I don't really know any details."

"Are you okay?" Haley asked the question that had been plaguing his mind since he heard the news.

"I don't know. How should I feel? I mean, they were horrible to my mom. They abandoned us and broke her heart, so should hate them right? And I do...or I did...I just...I can't help feeling like I wish I'd at least met them or something, that I'd gotten to make my own opinion. Is that weird, knowing what they did?" Nathan asked, his head dropping as he stared at the floor. "Is there something wrong with me that I don't know how to feel? I mean, even if I never met them, they're my grandparents..."

"Oh Nathan, you have a right be conflicted, I'd actually be more worried if you weren't," Haley leaned her head against his arm, her hand making little circles on his wrist. "They weren't there when you needed them and you have every reason to be angry with them for what they did, but it's also natural to want to know if you missed something...if given the chance you could've changed things. It's similar to when kids are adopted and want to meet their birth parents. How's your mom handling it?"

"She's having a hard time," he admitted. "I mean, she has all the same reasons to be angry that I do, but it's worse for her because she actually knew them and has positive memories too. They weren't monsters you know? It's hard to reconcile those two sides and to know that any chance of ever fixing it is gone now."

Haley nodded, biting her lip as she fought for the words to make things better.

"My Uncle Cooper is going to the funeral. He wants me to go with him," Nathan revealed, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose where a headache had taken hold. "I'm not sure if I can."

"Can or want to?"

"Both? I don't think he should have to go alone and I have to admit to being at least a little curious," he paused and looked over at her, "On the other hand, I'm still angry with them and the other people that never stood up for us and I feel like it's disloyal to my mom. They kicked her out."

"What did she say?"

"She told me it was my choice," he admitted, rubbing his hands down his face, "but I don't want to make it. What would you do?"

"Me?" she asked, surprised he was asking her. She thought about what she knew of the situation and some of the things Peyton had told them when she found out she was adopted and had the chance to meet her birth mother. How she'd been angry, yet curious and almost desperate for answers. "I don't know. You're right that they did some horrible things, but if you go, you would be going for you, not them. You could get some closure. Besides, there are probably other people and family there that it would be good to meet right?"

"Yeah, that's what Coop said," he closed his eyes again, feeling like he'd been put through the ringer. It was so nice to just sit there for a moment and enjoy the feeling Haley leaning on his shoulder and soothing him with her gentle hands. It was peaceful and he needed that so much at that moment that he never wanted to move again. Eventually, he felt her tense in worry and knew he knew he had to, "I'm so tired of dealing with drama. I thought before my mom got sick that I was finally past all the garbage, that I'd dealt with enough to last a lifetime. I miss the days when I didn't have anything more pressing to think about than how to beat another team on the basketball court."

"Unfortunately, I don't think we're ever past it," she patted his arm, "it's called life."

Nathan sighed, knowing she was right. There would always be things to worry about, things that went wrong and had to be faced, "So you think I should go?"

"I think that if it goes poorly you can always leave, but you'll at least know that you tried," she reasoned. "If you don't go, you'll never know what could've been and you might regret it for the rest of your life."

They sat there quietly, neither of them speaking for several minutes. She knew he needed some time to think and she was content at the moment that he was letting her be there, comforting him. "I wish there was something I could do to make things easier," she whispered.

"You could sing to me," he looked down and met her liquid brown eyes, "it would definitely help me forget for a while."

She thought about protesting, but she could see the turmoil in his eyes and she knew it was a small thing to sacrifice if it would really help, "Okay...I can do that," she reluctantly pulled away and stood. "Why don't you rest, maybe even try to nap? You look exhausted."

He nodded and moved up further on her bed, laying on his side so he could face her. "I doubt I'll sleep but I'll try if you'll play for me."

She picked up her guitar and moved to the chair across the room, getting comfortable and deciding what to play. "I think you might like this one," she started, her melodic voice filling the air, pushing away all the negative emotions that just moments earlier had filled the air. He watched and smiled, his eyes closing as he enjoyed the song. As she finished the second one, she noticed his breathing had evened out and she wondered if he'd gotten any sleep the previous night.

She played though another song before quitting, moving over to carefully sit on the side of the bed. She'd never gotten the chance to examine him without his knowledge and he looked so peaceful, so beautiful in his sleep. He always seemed strong and put together, but seeing him this way she realized that there was always a weight, a burden that he carried everywhere with him. In this state, it was gone and it left him looking younger than his 17 years. She sighed, knowing that with his mom's illness, his family situation, and now this new thing to deal with, that burden just kept getting heavier. She grabbed a throw blanket and carefully placed it over him. At least for a little while he could set it all aside and rest.

* * *

"I'm glad you decided to come," Cooper told his nephew as they walked into the dinner served after the funeral. "I know this can't be easy for you, but it's been a while since I've seen any of our family and I didn't want to have to do it alone."

They'd managed to sneak into the ceremony without having to speak to anyone, but now that they were entering the reception area, there were people milling around everywhere and conversation was inevitable. Nathan tugged on his tie, feeling like he couldn't breathe with the garment wrapped around his neck. He hated dressing up.

"Nice to see you bothered to show up," a distinguished gray haired man stopped them almost immediately. He surveyed them with a haughty glare, "Too bad you didn't come visit while they were alive."

"Uncle Raymond," Cooper nodded, his voice polite yet cool. "I'm sorry for the loss of your sister and brother in law."

"At least you remember your manners, despite your poor life choices," he replied waving his hand in disgust. "I see your sister didn't bother to come. She always was unreliable."

Nathan's eyes narrowed and he fought the urge to defend his mother, but his uncle placed a staying hand on his arm. "My sister is very ill and the doctors wouldn't allow her to travel this far to attend, but this is her son Nathan."

The man was taken by surprise for a second before quickly hiding it behind his mask of disdain. "Ah, the bastard boy that tore the family apart is all grown up now," he sneered, dismissing Nathan with one glance. "How dare you bring him here? This is how you honor your parents, by mocking their decisions? You might as well spit on their graves?"

"Can't you even act human for one day?" Cooper fought back, his emotions already on edge from the funeral. "He wanted to pay his respects and you know damn well your sister would have welcomed him. In fact, she'd be ashamed at how you're treating both of us."

"You know I never agreed that they should have anything to do with the boy," Raymond dropped his voice, "They were going soft. Keeping him in his place is one of the few smart things you and that sister of yours ever did."

"He is a member of this family, God help him, and he has as much right to be here as you do," Cooper matched the low tone, his voice sounding dangerous. "Now please excuse us, there are people here I actually want to talk to."

He placed his hand on Nathan's back and urged the boy onward toward another group of people across the room. His Uncle was the one person Cooper had hoped to avoid this trip and obviously that hadn't worked out so well. At least it was over, for now, and without any bloodshed.

"We're actually related to that asswipe?" Nathan asked as they maneuvered through the crowds of milling people, looking back on the man who was now chatting amicably with another couple. "No wonder my mom took off."

Cooper chuckled at his nephew's comments, his anger loosening a little. "Yeah, not my favorite person. Believe it or not, his wife is actually very sweet."

"How does she put up with him?" Nathan wondered aloud. "I wanted to punch his face within 30 seconds."

"It wouldn't be seemly to get a divorce," Cooper imitated the southern accent they had been hearing all afternoon. "It's much better to be miserable apparently. Besides, he keeps her on a tight leash and she doesn't think she has any choices."

Nathan shook his head as they arrived at their destination, still having trouble coming to terms with the world they'd entered for the day. "Cooper, you old rascal. Get over here and give your Cousin Grace a hug. It's been too long since you came to visit."

Coop moved toward her and leaned down, pulling the petite woman into an embrace that lifted her feet off the floor. Setting her down he gave her a kiss on the forehead, "It's so good to see you Gracie. I'd like you to meet someone," he turned and gestured for his nephew to step closer, "This is Nathan."

"Nathan as in...?" she gasped, reaching both of her hands out toward the younger man, "My God, look how big and handsome you are. I haven't seen you since you were a baby."

Nathan reached out tentatively, expecting her to take his hands, but instead she wrapped hers around his waist. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to see you again. I'm so sorry about what's going on with your mom."

Nathan looked over at Cooper in confusion, "Gracie is really the only family we have kept in touch with. She's a bit of a rebel like we are."

"Hah," she laughed, "not nearly as much as you Coop. Driving race cars? I thought your father was going to have a heart attack when he heard."

She realized what she'd said almost immediately and all of their faces fell. "I didn't mean..."

"It's okay honey," the tall blonde man next to her stepped in, placing his arm around her. "Hi Coop, nice to see you again." He turned his attention to Nathan, "I'm this spitfire here's husband Steve. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot of stories about your mother, though I've only met her once. How is she?"

Nathan answered and they continued the conversation for a while before Cooper was pulled away by another relative. Others joined their group and Nathan was able to escape, making his way to the edge of the room where he tried his best to blend in to the walls. His head was spinning from all the things he'd learned and he was starting to wish he hadn't come. If he'd imagined it would be this crazy, he wouldn't have, curiosity be damned. "The black suit doesn't blend well with the white walls," he heard from his right, making him jump.

"I didn't...I wasn't..."

"It's okay," she smiled, "I used to feel the same way. You get accustomed to it after a while."

Nathan relaxed, taking in the woman before him. She was older than him, probably around Coopers age, and pretty in a dainty damsel in distress kind of way. Even smaller than Haley, his mind prodded before he pushed the thought away. "I'm Lainey. If you're who I think you are, my father was close friends with your grandfather."

"It's nice to meet you," Nathan responded, thankful that she wasn't pressing for more or insulting the rest of his family. After a few minutes of quiet, he added, "It's weird being here. I've never met any of these people except Cooper."

"I've been to way too many of these in my lifetime," she countered, bringing her drink to her lips. "At least you're here this time. Nothing like new blood and remembered scandal to spice things up a bit."

Nathan frowned and looked down at the cup of punch he'd grabbed on the way over, for the first time in a long time wishing it was alcohol instead. By the looks of her, she'd had the same idea, more than once. He looked up, quickly noticing his uncle searching the room for him. He raised a hand and Cooper spotted him, quickly heading his way with a frown marring his handsome features. "What are you doing here Elaine?"

"Just getting to know the newest member of the family," she practically purred, reaching out to touch his arm. "We are practically related after all."

"Only in our parent's dreams," Cooper's response wasn't nearly as friendly. "You'd think you'd be over it by now. Didn't you find some other patsy to marry?"

"Oh stop it you two, get over it," Grace came over and separated them. "Nathan doesn't need to be drawn into that drama," she looked over at the confused teen and took pity on him, "Come with me."

* * *

"What's with the depressing tune?" Jimmy James asked, knocking on the open door to his daughter's room.

"I'm a little worried about Nathan," she admitted, "I know I told him he'd probably regret it if he didn't go, but if half of what he told me is true, it could get pretty ugly."

"He seems pretty strong honey. I know you always want to protect people, but I think he can take care of himself," Jimmy sat down next to her and pulled her lightly into his arms, kissing her head. "He has his uncle there too right?"

"I know, I just hate that he's had to go through so much," Haley leaned further into his warm embrace. "I wish there was more I could do to help."

"I'm pretty sure he'd say you were already a huge help, just being you and listening when he needs it," Jimmy consoled her. "You're a good friend."

"He's done the same for me," she sighed, looking up at him. "It seems crazy that I didn't even know he existed 3 months ago."

"He seems like a good guy," Jimmy smiled, pushing a loose strand of hair back from her face. Cringing a little, he added, "Your mom seems to think he's more than a friend."

Haley rolled her eyes, one corner of her mouth turning up, "You know mom. She just wants us to all be happy and in love like you two."

"That's because she loves you, but she's usually right about these things," he teased her. "She's got some kind of extra cupid sense or something."

"Well everyone is wrong sometimes," she held firm, "even her."

Her father laughed, his chest shaking under her head, "I'll remind her of that next time we argue. I know you say you aren't interested, and frankly, I'd be happy if you held that decision about every boy until you're at least 30. Your mom and I just want you to know, that if you do change your mind, we approve of this one."

"I'm really glad you're here dad," Haley closed her eyes and listened to his heart beat beneath her ear, "I missed you."

"I know honey," he squeezed her tight for a moment, "I missed you too."

* * *

Nathan returned to the hotel room, grateful to be done with the craziness that was the afternoon. They'd only stayed for just over an hour, but it was enough time for Nathan to get a bit of an understanding of the world of money and privilege his mother walked away from, along with some of the nastiness and cruelty that came with it. "I can't believe we are related to most of those people."

Cooper nodded in agreement, "Now you understand why we, I guess I, rarely come back. Your mother could've been a queen in that society, but she couldn't wait to get away."

"What was the deal with Lainey?" he asked, pulling his already loosened tie from his neck, "It seemed like you knew her pretty well."

Cooper sighed, his actions mimicking his nephews, "You know that they wanted your mom to marry one of the sons of your grandfather's business partner right?" Seeing Nathan nod, he continued, "When that fell through, they decided the next best thing would be for the daughter to marry me."

"And she is...?"

"Yeah, she is. Truth is, there was a time when I wouldn't have minded so much," Cooper admitted. "She's only 2 years younger than me and you saw how beautiful she is. I actually considered giving in, I'd seen the results firsthand of what happened to your mom, until I met Jennifer and fell head over heels for her. When I backed out, they expected her to marry someone twice our age and she didn't have the guts to tell them no like your mom did."

"Do you ever regret it?" Nathan asked. "Marrying Jen? I mean, you gave up all your money and power and your marriage didn't work out anyway."

"But I had a wonderful 3 years full of love and passion. I wouldn't give that up for anything," Cooper explained. "Being in love is the happiest, most alive I've ever felt. Nothing tops it, even 200 mph on the track, although that's damn close."

"And you'd still do it again, knowing it would end up ripping your heart out?" Nathan was skeptical. It didn't sound like a fair trade off to him, a couple years of happiness for years of pain and regret.

Cooper nodded without hesitation, "Because it was worth it. I mean, I obviously wish that my marriages had lasted longer, but I don't regret either one of them. In fact, if I have another chance, I won't hesitate to do it all over again."

"I think you're crazy," Nathan told him honestly. "I've had one relationship and when it ended, I felt like my heart had been ripped out. It made me turn into someone I didn't recognize for a while and I don't ever intend to go back to that place. Who knows what might have happened if I didn't have Q to pull my ass back out of it."

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for Nate, you'd have pushed through. Don't close off your heart because you're afraid of being hurt. You risk missing so many wonderful things if you do," Cooper advised him. "Look at your mom. She's been so scared of being hurt again, that she's been alone for half her life and now...now she's found someone who loves her enough to stick by her side through all of this and she's still scared to reach for it. Don't let that happen to you. Most of the time the best things also involve the most risk."

"I'll think about it, but I'm barely 17. I've got plenty of time. Right now, I need to help my mom get healthy again and finish High School," a picture of Haley laughing flashed through his mind, but he pushed it away. "Maybe someday, I'll be ready to take that chance."

break

Haley met Lucas up on the roof of the Cafe, happy to find that everything was still in its place despite the months it had been since they'd used it. "It's been a while since we played," she lamented, looking out over the golf course they'd set up above his mom's cafe. "I'm not sure you even remember how."

"I'd be more worried about you, since I clearly remember kicking your butt last time," he responded, grabbing the clubs from the bucket they left them in and handing her one. "I seem to remember something about you bowing down to me...".

"Wow Luke, I guess they're right. The memory is the first thing to go," she teased back, grabbing a ball and tossing it to him. "I definitely won last time. It's part of the reason we haven't played in so long because you were sick of getting trounced by a girl."

"Well it is the only sport you're very good at," he shook his head, "although, I have to admit, you play a mean game of volleyball."

"That was so great," Haley giggled, remembering Rachel's reaction, "but I'm pretty sure I'm retiring now while I'm on top."

"Retiring?"

"Yep, Isn't that what you always say players should do? I'm quitting before I lose my skills."

Lucas laughed at her reasoning, "I don't think you need to retire if you've only played one match."

Haley shrugged and headed onto the course, throwing back over her shoulder, "Either way, it doesn't get you out of your butt whoopin'. Prepare to be destroyed Scott."

Lucas laughed and followed after her. Because of Nathan's prodding they'd had a few more talks recently and he felt closer to his best friend than he had in years. As he watched her skip across the rooftop, he realized they'd been a pale imitation of what they once were and now that he was getting it back, he wondered how he'd ever lived without it. Maybe there were upsides to having a brother after all.

* * *

Nathan sat uncomfortably in an antique chair, his long limbs unable to stretch out because of the additional chairs placed in front of him to accommodate all the guests in the small room. When they made the decision to come to the funeral, Cooper had already been informed he would need to stay an additional day for the reading of the will. They had grabbed a hotel room in accordance, but hadn't been told until after their arrival the day before, that Nathan was also supposed to attend. Because of this he hadn't brought any other dress clothes, so he was once again wearing his dress pants and light blue shirt, this time without the jacket.

He looked over at Cooper who sat on the settee nearby and then looked at the clock. They were supposed to have started almost 20 minutes ago and all of the room's occupants were getting restless from the wait. Just as he was about to give up and stand to stretch, the door finally opened and an ancient looking attorney walked through, carrying a thick file. "Thank you for your patience. I know this is unconventional and many of you are wondering why we are doing it this way, but Mr. Lee insisted on it. Now if everyone is ready, we will begin with the minor bequests. After this portion has been read, each of you will be given a copy of the will and you are asked to depart before the rest of the document is read aloud."

The man went through the list, most of them to people present in the room and usually a valued item or a monetary bequest in the range 5-10 thousand dollars. Nathan kept expecting to hear his name, as he certainly wasn't expecting anything large, but it didn't come and as the group filed out, he looked over at his uncle in surprise. There were now 7 people left in the room and he began to wonder if he was left anything, or if he was here as a stand-in for his mother. Surely, she had received something as their oldest child, even if they were estranged.

The lawyer cleared his throat, "The next part was recorded by Mr. Lee himself." He walked over and pushed the button on a television mounted on the wall. "It should explain the next portion."

The camera jiggled a little and then a tall, lean man with salt and pepper hair came on the screen, introducing himself before getting to his main point, "I have lived my life and built my business the best way I knew how, with ruthless determination. Unfortunately I learned too late that while valuable in building an empire, is the fastest way to tear down a family. I have many regrets, but the most prominent is that if this is being shown to you, I have died without making things right with my daughter or meeting my grandson. If you are seeing this version, it means he came to the funeral anyway, which is more than I ever could've hoped for. Nathan, I have wished so many times that I could take back the way we treated your mother, but I was too stubborn to admit it for a long time and now she's just stubborn enough not to listen to my apologies. Your grandmother and I loved both of you and wish we'd gotten the chance to know you. Please know that I did try to see you more than once in the last few years, but my request was denied. I can't blame either of my children for the choices they made in an effort to protect you from me, I can only regret the actions that caused them to feel that way and to try and atone for them by proving for you now."

"To my business partner and friend, Ethan Elliot, I leave my half of the business. You have been a good friend and while we were never able to join our families, this will allow the company to stay together and grant you the ability to finally run it without my interference," he chuckled. "To my niece Gracie, you were aptly named and I admire your strength more than you know. In thanks for trying to be the voice of reason when I was making the worst mistakes, I leave you 50 thousand dollars. I know you will use it wisely. To my son Cooper, I leave the vacation houses in Hawaii, Cape Cod, and Hilton Head. I know that there are much better memories in those places than you have of the house you grew up in and I hope you will be able to enjoy them with a family of your own someday. Please forgive me for being too set in my ways to try and understand you. You've become a man that I am truly proud of, even if it has to be from afar. To my sister and brother-in-law, I leave the main house in Charleston that she has always loved and 100 thousand dollars for taxes and upkeep. Neither of my children want it and I hope you will keep it in the family as it has been the last 4 generations."

David Lee paused before continuing, "Lastly, since this version means my bride is with me and not there with you, I leave all remaining money to be placed in a trust in my grandson Nathan's name. Nathan, I have kept tabs on you as well as I was able and I have seen you are growing into a good, strong man. Please take care of your mother for us. I know she's too stubborn to accept anything from me, but since you have my blood flowing through your veins, I'm sure you'll be up to the challenge of using it for her good anyway. I have always loved her and I'm so sorry I never made sure she knew how much. Please tell her I'm sorry."

The lawyer looked up at Nathan, as did everyone else, before flipping through his paperwork, "let me see...oh here it is. The current estimation of what will be left is just over 18 million dollars."

"That can't be right," Raymond said angrily, almost flipping his chair over as he stood up. "There's no way he gave all of that to a kid he never met."

Ethan Elliot got in to the complaining as well and the two men insisted on seeing the paperwork, arguing with the lawyers and threatening to contest. Cooper looked over at Nathan who was sitting there in shock, "I don't want it."

"That's a lot of money and it was left with good intentions. Why don't you wait a while before you make that decision?"

"No, I don't want it. He didn't leave it to take care of us, he left it to assuage his guilt, but it won't fix what he did to us. Even when he knew he was wrong, he still didn't do anything about it. He had years to fix things and he waits until he's dead. It's a cop out."

"I understand better than anyone what you're feeling, but I think you should at least wait and talk to your mom before you turn it down," Cooper tried to reason with him. "No matter what his reasoning, think of the good you could do with that money. Good that'll never happen if you turn it down and it goes to those bozos over there. Besides, you probably wouldn't even get it for years. If it's in a trust, you probably have to be at least 21 to touch it. That's a lot of time to change your mind and you can always turn it down later or just give it away to charity."

Nathan nodded, "You're right. I just...I thought coming here would give me some kind of closure, but seeing him on there and having him give me the money. It's like he's going to have some sort of hold on me now and I hate that...even if he was sorry, he doesn't deserve that power."

"He only has that if you let him Nate," Cooper patted him on the back, "Believe me, I learned it the hard way."


	19. Chapter 19

I had a great vacation and now back to regular life. Sorry it took me so long to get this done, I really try not to go longer than a week, but I didn't get a single word written while I was gone and it's been tough finding time since I got back. Now I'm almost caught up to regular life, so hopefully the next one won't take too long.

 **Ch 19**

Nathan held his hand in the air, his wrist bent as he let go of his fiftieth free throw, the sound of the ball going through the chain net music to his ears. He turned and walked to the bleachers and sat down, rubbing the sweat from his face with the towel he'd thrown in his bag. He had a lot on his mind, but for some reason the monotony of the drill hadn't helped him to focus as it normally would. In the past, this was always the best way for him to work through things, but since he'd come to Tree Hill, he'd found the easiest way was to discuss them with Haley. Since he wasn't ready to do that, and wasn't sure when he would be, he decided more shooting would have to do.

He stretched out his muscles again and drank some water, trying to keep cramps away in the oppressive heat. Feeling slightly refreshed, he picked up the ball and walked back on the court, driving to the hoop and going up for a reverse dunk when the ball slipped out of his sweaty hands and shot across the rim. He picked it up and threw it at the backboard in frustration, closing his eyes as the ball bounced off down the court.

"So that's how they taught you to train at that big deal school of yours?" he heard, his head jerking around at the unexpected sound.

"Just having a bad day," Nathan watched as Lucas retrieved the ball and turned to hit a long a jump shot.

"Sorry," he gathered the ball and moved to stand alongside his brother. "Thought I might find you here."

"You were looking for me?" Nathan asked, his eyes narrowing in confusion. Their relationship had made steady progress over the previous weeks, but they didn't exactly hang out together outside the weight room. Even within its confines, it was often tense so he knew there must've been specific reason for him to seek him out, "Did something happen?"

"I don't know, you tell me. I stopped by the Cafe to drop something off for my mom and Haley was freaking out, worried about you," Lucas said, dribbling the ball a few times before handing it over. "Apparently you were supposed to join her for breakfast and you didn't show up or answer your phone."

Nathan winced at the accusation, running his hands over his face in frustration. He'd been so wound up that he'd completely forgotten he was supposed to meet her and then compounded it by not answering her calls. Damn it, he felt like a jerk. He hadn't meant for anyone to be concerned, he'd just needed some time to himself without any distractions. "I needed to think, so I turned it off."

"Well, I'll report you're alive and well," Lucas responded, "You are aren't you? I mean, you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nathan waved him off, "just a lot on my mind. Tell her I'm sorry would you? I'll call her later and explain."

"Anything I can help with?" Lucas surprised both of them with his offer. He ducked his head, shrugging as he put himself out there a bit, "I know that probably sounds weird, but it seems like you're upset about something and I can be a decent listener."

"I just have some big decisions to make," Nathan sighed, feeling the weight of those choices on his broad shoulders. He wasn't sure how much he was willing to share, especially about the inheritance that he wasn't sure if he was going to accept. As someone who had struggled financially his entire life, he couldn't help but think of how it could make his life easier, especially with his mother's illness, yet he'd seen firsthand what that money had brought to his family and didn't want anything to do with that. He looked across the concrete at his brother and considered the blonde's sincerity. He wasn't sure he trusted him, but if Lucas was really making the effort, the least he could do was reciprocate.

"There was some stuff that came up when I was in Charleston and now I got an unexpected call from my mom. It's a lot to deal with."

"I know it sounds lame, but I realize this hasn't been easy for you...for any of us really," Lucas wasn't sure what to say. He was serious about wanting to help, but he'd never really had this kind of conversation with anyone he wasn't already really close to. Haley would know what to do, she always did, but it didn't look like Nathan was eager to talk to her about whatever it was. He gestured with his hand between the two of them, "I think maybe it's getting better though right? This part anyway?"

"Yeah, this trip hasn't turned out anything like I thought it would. I guess it was naive, but I wanted to just bide my time here before I headed home. I kind of thought of it like a jail sentence," he winced at his admission, but finished his thoughts, "I never really thought there would be so many emotions involved. I didn't expect to care."

"Is that good or bad?"

"A little of both," Nathan shrugged, knowing that he'd had reason to feel both ways. Emotions were often messy like that, bringing out some of the highest highs and lowest lows. "Surprisingly, I'm actually going to miss it here."

Lucas walked over and sat down on the bleachers, taking off his sunglasses, "It grows on you," he acknowledged. "What's with all the talk lately of leaving? You're still here for like 3 more weeks right?"

"That was the plan," Nathan ran his hair through his sweaty hair, "but it looks like I might be going home sooner than expected." He walked over and joined the elder Scott, never letting go of the ball. "My mom is probably going to be released at the end of the week and if she is, I need to go home. I don't want to miss the chance of spending some real time with her before school starts. I can't."

"So, is that your dillema?," Lucas asked, squinting his eyes as he considered the problem, "Because, it sounds like you've already made the decision."

"Yeah, maybe," Nathan conceded, his leg bouncing up and down, showing his agitation. "I guess I never thought there would even be a choice to be made. It should be an automatic that I'd head home as soon as she does."

He'd thought back to the call from his mom that telling him the good news. She was leaving it up to him if he wanted to go home or stay until the planned date, and he was surprisingly torn. He couldn't ignore how much he wanted to be with her, how much he missed her. He'd been hoping and praying for this exact thing for months, and yet he found he didn't like the idea of leaving yet. Maybe it was because he'd actually enjoyed a lot of his time there, or because he didn't want to go when things were still so up in the air with the new part of his family. He definitely didn't like the idea of leaving just when he was finally starting to get to know his brother.

Most of all, more than he'd ever dreamed, he realized he it was going to be hard to leave Haley. He couldn't believe that she'd become so important to him in such a short time, but she had and he was going to miss her when he left. As much as he hated to admit it, the more time he spent around her, the more he wanted to and that was yet another thing he had on his mind.

He hadn't planned on making any relationships here that would impact him when he went home. The last thing he needed were any more distractions going into his all important Senior year, but he knew it was likely this was turning into one. Leaving early was a good thing, he decided. Staying longer would only let him get more attached and make it harder to go. He took a deep breath, "I know what I have to do, I'm just surprised that it's not as easy as I expected it to be."

"I know my dad will be disappointed," Lucas admitted, reaching out and grabbing the ball. He hesitated before going any further, surprised at what he was about to say, "The truth is, I will be too."

Nathan was skeptical of the admission, watching in shock as Lucas moved over to shoot the ball. They'd made a lot of progress, but the blonde was still pretty standoffish most of the time. "I talked to Dan and he wasn't exactly happy about it, but he understood. I have to be honest though, I thought you'd be thrilled to see the back of me."

"I know we started off really terrible, and that it was mostly my fault...but I just...we've gotten along pretty well lately and I don't want to think that this is as far as it goes, you know? That we'll spend the rest of our lives as polite acquaintances," Lucas stood and paced as he tried to explain. "Haley has been trying to beat it into my head all summer that she thinks we both deserve better than that and I know I've been dragging my feet and it's late to be doing this now, but maybe we should finally talk, for real. I think maybe if we do that, we could actually get past some things and move forward, instead of just making the best of it."

"And that's what you want?" Nathan was still hesitant.

"I understand your doubt," Lucas answered after a moment of hesitation, "Hell, I'm even surprising myself a bit, but yeah. I think it is."

* * *

Haley wiped the counter of the cafe, looking at the clock again before checking her phone for messages. She'd sent Lucas out looking for his brother hours ago and still hadn't heard anything back. It wasn't like Nathan to flake on things and he'd seemed really preoccupied ever since his trip. She wasn't sure if it was just more of the same uncertainty or if something had happened while he was there. Usually he talked to her about things, but he'd been tightlipped so far, leading to her concern that something was wrong.

"Still no call?" Karen asked, coming up behind her and cleaning out the coffee maker. She emptied the grounds and refilled the filter as she examined the girl in front of her. She could see Haleyl was worried about her friend and she was a little too. No matter what he thought, she did care about the younger Scott and even a blind person could tell he hadn't been himself since the funeral. "I'm sure he's okay."

Haley nodded, but didn't seem as certain, "Yeah, probably."

"Honey, I know you're still angry with me for what I said," Karen finally broached the subject that had been weighing on both of them. It grieved her that she'd let her emotions rule her and made the kind of mistake that fractured the bond she had with people she really cared about. She and Haley had been close ever since the kids were little and had gotten even more so since her parents started travelling. There had never been this kind of distance between them and she was upset she'd caused it. She knew it would take time to repair the damage, but hoped she was more receptive to overtures than Nathan had been.

"I was having a rough time," Karen closed the coffee maker and started fiddling with the already straightened counter. "Things felt like they were spiraling out of control and I didn't know how to fix anything. I know it's not a good excuse, but I felt trapped and jealous and because of it I lashed out and said some things I shouldn't have. I swear to you though, I never meant it. You know me...you know I wouldn't have hurt him on purpose."

Haley turned and leaned against the counter, giving the older woman her undivided attention, "maybe you didn't mean it, but it didn't stop you from saying it. You didn't see him right afterword. He was really hurt Karen."

"I know," Karen admitted, her eyes filling with tears. "It's kind of ironic. I haven't cried like this since Dan left for college without me and that trip is what led to everything we're dealing with now. We've made such a mess of this whole thing that I wouldn't blame that boy if he left and never looked back. I just wish we could go back and start over."

"But you can't," Haley whispered. "We just have to do the best to make up for our mistakes."

"How is he?" Karen asked, "I mean before today. I haven't really seen much of him lately, I'm sure that was done on purpose, but he's seemed kind of down. Has he said anything?"

"Not really, but I don't know, he has seemed weighed down the last couple of days," Haley answered, "Maybe I'm imagining things and it's just the stress of the whole funeral thing getting to him. Death is always painful and he had to meet a lot of estranged family for the first time, but he hasn't been the same since he got back. I know he was stressed and worried about it so maybe it's just fallout from that, I don't know."

"He's gone through more than any 17 year old should've ever had to," Karen agreed to the possibility, "but he's come through it strong. I'm sure he'll shake it off whatever it is, and if he doesn't, he knows he has you to talk to."

"Yeah," Haley agreed as a new customer walked in the door. "If I ever figure out where he went."

* * *

"I can't believe that last shot you made," Nathan laughed as he walked into the cafe with his brother. "That was so lucky."

"No, that was all skill. You should see some of the other shots I've mastered," Lucas argued, glad there weren't many customers around. "None of the guys will even play me anymore."

"I can totally understand why," Nathan shook his head, as he scanned the room for Haley. "That was ridiculous."

"Come on, just admit that I beat you fair and square," Lucas continued, not willing to let it go. "I'll wait."

"Fine, I'll give you that game, but I torched you in one on one... both times," Nathan pointed out, waving to Haley from across the room as spotted her moving toward the counter. "You really need to get better at driving to the hole and your defense sucks."

Lucas was about to respond when he saw Haley had arrived at their common destination, her hands on her hips as she glared at them, "I guess you found him. Thanks for letting me know. "

"Oh crap," Lucas groaned, realizing that he'd never called to tell her he'd had success. "I'm sorry Hales. He was at the Rivercourt and we started talking and then ended up playing a couple games. I totally forgot I was supposed to call."

"It's not his fault, I'm the one that should have let you know I wasn't coming this morning," Nathan intervened, not wanting the two friends to fight over his mistake. It was weird how things could shift in just a few hours. "I completely forgot we were supposed to meet today."

Haley looked back and forth between the two guys, both acting more comfortable with each other despite the petty arguing when they first walked in. Nathan excused himself to use the restroom and Haley took advantage of his absence to grill her friend, "It's been hours and you two are still together and acting... strange."

"We're trying to work things out Hales," Lucas plopped himself down onto a stool, "I thought you'd be happy."

"What changed your mind?"

"A lot of things. I have been listening to you all summer and he helped us get back on track," Lucas admitted. "That meant a lot to me and I guess I figured it was worth giving it a shot. Besides, I'm already getting stronger just from working out with him and he's the first guy we've had around other than Damien that could actually give me competition and help me get better on the court. In fact, he makes Damien look like a scrub."

Haley rolled her eyes, somehow still surprised that after everything that had happened it would still end up being basketball that tipped the scales. Nathan returned, taking a seat next to Lucas as if it was commonplace for them to hang out together. She narrowed her eyes but she couldn't think of anything else to say. Apparently, after all her hard work, they'd accomplished as much in the last 3 hours as they had in the previous months.

"I feel like I've entered the twilight zone," she finally mumbled, apparently loud enough to be heard by the boys in front of her.

"Well, when you come back to earth, can you bring us some burgers? We're starving," Lucas quipped.

"I'm not your slave Lucas Scott," Haley frowned at him, placing her hands on her hips, "you're totally capable of putting your own order in. Actually, you both are, and I'm still mad at you for making me worry."

"Ah come Hales," Lucas pleaded, pulling out his puppy dog face. "Please? We didn't do it on purpose and we're tired. All that bonding is exhausting."

She looked over and laughed as Nathan gave her a similar look, trying to keep a straight face as he stuck his lower lip out. "Oh fine," she gave in, throwing her towel at them, "How can I resist?"

She walked into the back room and grabbed Karen, "be careful when you go out there. There's some strange stuff going around."

"What?" the older woman asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion, "did something happen?"

"Nathan and Lucas are out there...together."

"So Lucas found him? Thank God nothing was wrong," Karen responded gratefully.

"Oh he found him all right," Haley paced back and forth, "they're out there acting like buddies or something. It's creeping me out."

"Isn't that what you've been hoping for all summer? What we all have really," Karen smiled, "It's good news."

"Yeah, I guess, but it's really weird. I know they've been spending a lot of time together, but I got the impression they were still barely speaking," Haley leaned against the table, bumping into a mixing bowl that she quickly righted. "Now all of a sudden, they're acting like nothing ever happened."

Karen studied the girl in front of her, "Are you afraid you're going to get left out?" It was the only reason she could come up with that she wouldn't be ecstatic over the new development. "Because I don't think that would ever happen."

Haley was surprised by the observation, but figured it did make sense. "Maybe," she admitted, not quite sure herself. "It wouldn't be the first time Luke basically ditched me for someone else."

Karen leaned forward and gave her a hug, "you're friends with both of them and you know they need this. If you let them, I'm sure they'll take you along for the ride."

* * *

Nathan led Haley into Tric and found them a table on the side near the stage. It was the first time he'd gotten to spend alone with her since he had decided to go home and he needed to share that information with her, but there was one important thing he wanted to accomplish first. He'd broken down and talked to Karen, finding out that tonight was the "Open Mic" night they did each month for aspiring acts to show off their talent. He was hoping without any of her friends in attendance he might be able to convince her to give it a go. He'd even colluded with her parents and her guitar was backstage in case she agreed.

"Are the others late?" she asked, looking around for the group they normally came there with. She was counting on Nathan's height to help her find them since she wasn't having any luck. She had especially expected to see Lucas since he and Nathan had spent a lot of time together the previous couple of days. "I haven't seen any of them."

"Actually, it's just us tonight," he sat back in his chair, not sure how to broach the topic of her singing. He didn't want to scare her off, but he was really hoping she'd take the chance and show off her talent. Unfortunately, he didn't think she'd be overly receptive, at least not at first.

"Oh," she said, tilting her head in confusion, "I guess I just assumed..." her voice trailed off and she was suddenly nervous. She really doubted Nathan had planned this as a date, he was even more wary of relationships than she was, but this wasn't really his favorite place if they were just going to hang out. Besides, he'd seemed wary of being alone with her the last couple of days. "So why are we here?"

Nathan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, deciding to just lay it out there, "Tonight is open mic night."

"And you want to sing?" she asked, her face scrunched up in a way he found adorable, "I didn't know you sang..." her face changed as her mind caught up and realized what he meant, "No... Nuh uh... No way. I'm not going up there."

"Come on Hales," he reached for her hand before she could pull it away, "There aren't that many people here yet and most of them don't know you. Besides, it's not about anyone else. This is the perfect chance to prove to yourself you can do it."

"Even if I wanted to, I don't think I can," she started to panic, "there's still a lot of people here and I'm not ready. I haven't prepared anything and I don't even have my guitar..."

"I do," he stopped that excuse, placing his hand out to cut her off, "your dad got it for me and he agrees that you should do this. He also said you play piano and there's one up there. You have so much talent Hales, don't keep it all bottled up."

"Maybe some other time...I just can't do it tonight Nathan.." she practically begged him to understand as his face fell. "Please don't be mad."

"You promised you'd sing for me..."

"And I did," she reminded him.

"I know, and it was great," he agreed, "but now I want you to sing for you and I want to be here to see it. I want to be a witness to you finally showing people how amazing you are."

"Can't we just do this another time?" she tried, running her fingers through her hair, "When I've had time to..."

"Psyche yourself out?" he asked, shaking his head, "the more time you have, the more time you'll use to talk yourself out of it. You can do this Hales, I believe in you."

"I just can't," she told him closing her eyes, unable to bear the pleading look in his, "Maybe I'll try Karaoke next week, it's easier..."

Nathan took a deep breath and decided to play his last remaining card, the thing that he kept trying and failing to tell her for the last couple of days, "I won't be here next week. I'm leaving on Friday."

"Where are you going this time?" Haley asked, her head tilted, "Does Coop need you again?"

"I'm going home," Nathan shook his head, his hand squeezing hers. "My mom's getting out of the hospital and I'll be joining her for the last couple of weeks before school starts."

"Oh," Haley's face fell at the news. She knew he'd be leaving, she'd been practically dreading the day, but had no idea it would be so soon. How had the Summer gone so fast that he was already going home? "Did you just find out?"

"A couple days ago," he admitted, "I wanted to tell you when I told Lucas, I just..."

"Didn't. It's fine," she told him, pulling her hand away, " You have Lucas now and you don't need me anymore. You don't owe me any explanations. I'm a big girl."

"It's not that you didn't deserve to know. It's just...damn it, I've been confused and upset, but you've been the bright part of my days," he tried to explain. "I didn't want to lose that or change things..."

Haley ducked her head and was quiet for a few moments and Nathan started to worry, "I'm sorry. I know I should have said something sooner, but it has nothing to do with you not being important to me. I swear I'm going to miss the hell out of you."

Haley couldn't help but smile at the way he said that, rolling her neck and gathering her courage. "You really think I can do this?" she gestured toward the stage. "I mean, without making a fool of myself?"

"I know you can," he assured her, his confidence in her shining from his eyes, "I have total faith in you."

She took a deep breath and looked at the stage, her eyes searching the room before meeting his gaze again, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay I'll try," she whispered, her nails digging into her hands as she nervously clenched them into fists. "I'll give it a shot."

Nathan took her hands in his and smoothed them out, rubbing his thumbs over the half-moon shaped imprints, "You're going to do great. I wouldn't be pushing you if I had even the slightest bit of doubt."

Haley looked down at their joined hands and swore she felt sparks shooting up her arms at his ministrations. She pulled them away, not willing to allow herself to go there, especially now when he was so close to leaving. She discreetly wiped them on her jeans as she felt them start to sweat.

"Any idea when I'm supposed to do this?" she asked nervously.

"I signed you up to go fifth," he admitted. "It gets busier later so I thought you'd want to get it out of the way."

"Pretty sure you could convince me, weren't you?" she teased him, trying to shake off her nerves.

"Hopeful," he corrected, relieved to see her relaxing a little, "Just promise to remember me when you have a bunch of groupies and admirers."

Haley chuckled at the idea, "I don't think that'll be a problem," she said, not sure if she meant the absurd idea of her having admirers or at the idea she could ever forget him. Probably both. She looked him in the eye, "I swear that could never happen."

"Next up is Haley James," the MC for the night announced and she broke their eye contact, shaking herself loose as she stood up.

"Good luck," he gave her one of his trademark smirks, the one that seemed to make every girl's heart race, herself included,. "Knock them dead."

She nodded, wiping her shaking hands on her pants again as she made her way to the stage where someone had already brought out her guitar. She waved them off and sat down at the keyboard, willing herself to calm down. There was no way she could play if she couldn't get her hands to stop shaking. She cleared her throat, her eyes searching for Nathan in the crowd. He gave her a big smile and thumbs up and she relaxed a little. "Just play," she told herself as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them again, she locked eyes with Nathan again, "This is a song I wrote called 'Let Me Fall'."

"It's October again," she started off softly, her voice a little wobbly from nerves but quickly growing stronger and more confident. The crowd quieted, all eyes turning to regard the small girl onstage with the powerful voice. Several people walked toward the stage as if entranced and everyone's attention was riveted to the performance

Nathan grinned widely as she continued, his faith in her clearly justified. She was losing herself in the music and all of the witnesses were gladly following her just as he was. She had such an amazing presence up on that stage that it seemed like she'd been doing this her whole life. Seeing her now, most people wouldn't believe this was her first time with a regular audience.

She continued and ended the song to a huge round of applause, the smile spreading across her face the biggest he'd ever seen. She stood up and walked calmly off the stage before skipping excitedly off to the side where Nathan was waiting. "That was so awesome!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his neck. "It was such a rush. They really enjoyed it... like really. I can't believe how great that felt and I never would've had the nerve without your encouragement."

"I'm so proud of you Hales, you were fantastic," his arms wrapped around her waist, squeezing her tight. His heart felt like it was beating out of his chest in his excitement for her and he lifted her off the ground and swung her around in a small arc. He set her down and reluctantly released her, looking down into her thrilled face. He found his gaze lingering on her lips, his own suddenly feeling dry, "I..."

"That was amazing," Lucas said, coming to their side and causing them to jump apart. "Why didn't you ever tell me you could sing like that? You should be on tour or something."

Haley took another step away, surprised to hear her friend's voice as the moment was broken, "Um...what are you doing here Lucas?"

"I'm listening to you," he grinned, reaching out to pull her into his arms as Nathan had just done. "I wish the rest of our friends had been here to witness that. They won't believe me when I tell them. It's a good thing I got it recorded."

"Oh, I uh..." Haley tucked her hair behind her ear, not sure what to say. She hadn't been expecting Lucas to be there and was upset with Nathan that he'd told him. "I didn't even know I was going to do it..."

"Haley Bob," Mrs. James said, coming up behind them and tapping her daughter on the shoulder, "I'm so proud of you baby girl. Y finally showed everyone what we've known all along you could do. Thank you for helping to convince her Nathan."

"Yeah," Jimmy added, "I've been trying for years to get her to share her talent, but she wouldn't listen to me. She always said it was only because I'm her dad, but I know a great voice when I hear it. I was so excited when you said you were hoping to get her up there tonight that I had to see it for myself."

Haley accepted hugs from both of her parents, but her bubbly excitement was gone, replaced by uncertainty and a little hurt. Nathan had invited other people and knowing she wouldn't have gone up there if she'd known, he'd kept if from her. "Thanks guys, it wasn't a big deal."

Nathan could practically see the thoughts running across Haley's face. She wasn't happy with their unexpected guests and he was guessing she was blaming him for their arrival. In a way, her parents were his fault, but he hadn't had anything to do with Lucas and he guessed that's who she was more upset about anyway. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, not sure if he should try and defend himself or wait for it to play out so he didn't embarrass her even more.

"It was too a big deal," Lucas grinned happily, "next time we're going to have to invite the rest of the gang. When you become a big star, we'll all be able to say we knew you when you were just simple Haley James, smartest girl at Tree Hill High and Tutor extrodinaire."

"That's not going to happen," Haley shook her head.

"Why not? You were great up there. I know one of these times some record guy will hear you and..."

"I'm not doing it again," she practically shouted, drawing more than just the attention of their group. She lowered her voice, "this was a one-time thing. I have no desire to be a professional musician. I want to help people, not spend my life on a tour bus, wearing tight clothes and caked on makeup."

"Oh," Lucas backed off at the fierce look on her face, "Well you could still sing again for the group right? I mean I'm sure they'd want to hear you. I sent it to Peyton, but I think they'd all want to see it live..."

Haley gave Nathan a dirty look that confirmed his thoughts before looking back at Lucas, "I don't think so. I proved to myself that I could do it and now I'm done. In fact, I think I'm going to head home."

"Haley," Nathan tried, reaching out for her as she headed past him and toward the exit.

"I did what you wanted," she practically wilted under his gaze, looking past him to see her parents and Lucas confused looks, "I just need to go home now."

"Okay, but at least let me drive you. It's rainy out there," he needed to talk to her alone and clear things up.

She shook her head, "I'm sure my parents can take me. You know, since they're here."

"Look, I admit that I told your dad because I wanted to get the guitar, which I guess you didn't use anyway, but I didn't know he'd come and I didn't tell anyone else. I didn't invite Lucas. I wouldn't do that."

"It doesn't matter," she shrugged him off, not sure what to think. Her emotions were a massive jumble at the moment and she needed some peace and quiet to sort things out.

"It does if you're angry about it," he argued, "I don't want to lose your friendship, especially over something like this."

"Okay," she nodded, knowing that was true and that he'd never lied to her before. "I believe you."

"So we're good right?"

"No," she sighed, "we're not. It still happened and I'm not sure how to feel about everyone knowing now."

"But you were great and I know you enjoyed yourself," he reminded her, his hands going to his pockets to keep them from waving in frustration, "I don't understand what the problem is."

Haley sighed, not sure she understood either. She just knew that things had become so much more complicated than she was used to. Maybe it was a good thing he was going home. If he left, she could go back to being simple Haley James and not be pushed out of her comfort zone. Maybe she could stop all the thoughts and feelings swirling around and causing her to doubt herself and her plans. Things like wondering if his lips were as soft as they looked or what it would feel like with them pressed to hers. There was no room in her life for that kind of thinking, especially when he was preparing to walk out of her life, "I'm not mad at you."

"Sure," Nathan put his hands on his hips and gave her doubting look. She sure acted like she was mad.

"I'm not. I just...this isn't me. I don't get up and sing in front of people or play volleyball or dress like Brooke," she told him, "and I'm done with it."

"Do you think any of that matters to me?" he asked incredulously. "I don't need you to do any of those things Haley. I'm sorry if you thought I wanted you to be anything but yourself."

"No, I'm not explaining this well," she ran her fingers through her hair before she reached out and touched his arm. "You didn't do anything wrong," she assured him, "but I need to go back to being me and you need to go back home and be you."

"Haley, I don't..."

"We're heading out if you want a ride," Jimmy James placed his hand on her shoulder. He didn't know what the two of them had been discussing, but Haley looked distressed and he wanted to give her a chance to cut it short. As much as he liked Nathan, she would always be his priority.

"Thanks," she told her father, letting him wrap his arm around her shoulders. She looked over at Nathan, "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

Nathan couldn't do anything but nod, his hands pushing angrily through his hair as she departed with her parents. This wasn't at all how he'd pictured the evening going. He'd thought Haley would sing and then they would have a fun evening together, possibly the last they'd have time for before he left. Haley had done just as well as he'd expected, but then it had all gone downhill so quickly from there that he'd might have lost her completely.

Needing to do something, he turned and found Lucas, practically stomping his way over to him. They might be getting along for the most part now, but he could help think it was his fault Haley had left. Reaching him, he grabbed him by the arm to get his attention, "What the hell are you doing here?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry this took so long. It was a struggle to write and then I had doubts it was any good. Thanks othfangirl for being such an awesome beta reader. You help more than you realize.**

 **I know many of you can't wait for Naley to get together or at least admit their feelings, but they still have a lot of obstacles to overcome before they're ready for that. Please be patient, I'll do my best to make it worth the wait.**

 **Ch 20**

Nathan picked up the last pile of clothes from his bed and placed them neatly in his duffel bag, smiling as he rubbed his hand the Tree Hill shirt Haley had bought for him. The Carnival had been a fun experience, one of the best he could remember. They'd had a great time together that night, before things had somehow gotten awkward and tense between them.

He wasn't exactly sure how that had happened when just weeks ago they'd been so close. He knew it was at least partially his fault since he'd pulled back a little after his visit to Charlestown, not sure how or if he wanted to tell her about his inheritance, but the last couple of days had been painful. He'd hoped it was just the misunderstanding from Tric, but Lucas had made sure Haley knew he'd been picking something up for his mom and seeing her had been an accident. He'd hoped that would be the end of it, but that hadn't seemed to make a difference to her at all. In fact, she'd still been distant and almost angry, not at all the fun, sweet Haley he'd come to know and depend on. She'd hung out with him and Lucas for a while the day before, but it wasn't like it had been the rest of the summer. The comfort level they'd so easily achieved had been torn away and she'd used Lucas almost like a shield to make sure they couldn't have the conversation he'd been hoping for. The rest of the time she'd worked at the cafe and even when he'd gone to visit, had made sure she was too busy to talk. He'd hoped he was wrong but he knew the signs and finally had to accept that she was avoiding him.

He wondered how was he going to survive over three months without seeing her when just two days without their normal relationship had him going crazy. She'd sneaked past his defenses and they'd gotten so close that he had a hard time thinking of what it would be like going home without her.

He thought back to the moment at Tric when he'd almost kissed her and wondered if she'd realized how close he'd come to actually doing it. "Maybe that's what was bothering her," he suddenly thought, "maybe she was repulsed by the idea." He mentally smacked himself in the head. She'd made it very clear that she wasn't ready to date again and she'd never really given him any indication that she'd changed her mind or that she had any feelings for him other than friendship. He'd seen her with Lucas enough to know that she put great store in her friends and that as much as she loved Luke, she'd throw a fit if he ever made a move on her.

He groaned, sitting on the side of the bed and jamming his hands through his hair as he wondered if he hadn't ruined something wonderful with a momentary slip, letting his attraction to her slide to the front for a few seconds. She'd just been so amazing up on that stage and she had looked so happy and felt so good in his arms. He hadn't felt like he could help himself.

He swore to himself it wouldn't happen again, especially now that he realized what was probably causing their problems. It wasn't like he had changed his mind about anything happening between them either, he'd had no conscious intention of letting it, but he'd been attracted to her from the moment they met and the more time they spent together, the harder it had been to keep himself from acting on his desire. Every smile, every hug or laugh had him one step closer to throwing his goals and plans out the window. That moment with her deep brown eyes sparkling up into his he hadn't thought about anything other than having her so close. Unfortunately, judging by her reaction since then, she obviously didn't feel the same way and he was going to have to be man enough to accept that. He never wanted to spoil their friendship, it was worth too much to him, but it seemed like in a moment of weakness he might have done just that.

He told himself to suck it up and finished loading his bag, zipping it up before looking around the room. It looked just as it had when he first came except for the two items on the walls Haley had insisted he have. She'd taken once glance at his room and told him it was stuffy and that even if it was just temporary, he should decorate with some of his favorite things to make himself feel more at home. The next day, she'd brought him two items, one a Kentucky pennant and the other a LeBron James poster. She'd noticed the number 23 he wore and the guy at the store told her that this other 23 was the best basketball player in the world. He had started to recite other stats, but he didn't need to, she'd pretty much been sold just by the number on his jersey. Nathan had been touched by the gift and put them up immediately, surprised that she'd done something so thoughtful for someone she barely knew, but now that he was leaving he didn't really have any room for them back home and wasn't sure if bringing them to school with him was the best idea. He'd realized he was already going to miss her like crazy and having reminders of her on his walls would just make it even harder to get her off his mind.

Besides, he rationalized, leaving them there would make it feel more comfortable when he came at holidays as he'd already promised he would do. He was planning to come for Thanksgiving, but it wasn't likely he'd make it back here for Christmas. His team was playing in their traditional tournament in Oregon over the break and he'd want to spend at least a couple of days at home with his mom to celebrate as well. He smiled at the thought that it was looking like they would actually be able to spend it at home instead of the hospital like they had the previous year.

"I'm glad I caught you," Haley said, knocking lightly on the open door. "I probably won't see you tomorrow and I didn't want to say goodbye at the party tonight. Knowing Luke it'll be crazy."

"Yeah," Nathan said nervously, shoving his hands deep in his pants pockets. He was relieved that she'd finally approached him, but unsure what to say. He'd never felt nervous or awkward like this around her before, even when they'd just met, but then he'd never almost kissed her either. He realized she was waiting for a response from him and gestured for her to come in, "It wasn't my idea, but he was so determined that it was easier to just go along with it."

"Yeah, he gets that way sometimes," she agreed, her eyes scanning the room in an attempt to avoid getting caught staring at him. "He'll pretty much take any excuse to throw a bash."

She didn't have to look at him for long to know how hot he looked. He always looked especially good in his blue Kentucky shirt that brought out his amazing eyes and the fitted jeans that she knew from previous wearings fit his backside to perfection. She found herself pulling her hair up off her neck and slipping it into a messy ponytail, "Why is it so hot in here?" she couldn't help but wonder aloud.

"Huh?"

"Oh, um, nothing," she mumbled, her cheeks turning pink from her embarrassment that he'd heard her. "All packed I see."

She groaned at her inane comment, knowing she was blowing it. She could tell from the bag on his bed that he was ready to go and she also noticed that the things she'd bought for him to decorate with hadn't been packed. It was a little disappointing after all the effort she'd gone to find and pick them out, but she shrugged it off, determined to part on good terms. They'd been too close all summer and she valued his friendship too much to let her hormones ruin it. If it was friendship and only friendship he wanted, she'd be grateful to have it. After all, isn't that what they'd both said all summer they wanted? It wasn't fair of her to expect him to change his mind just because she was pretty sure she had. In fact, she was lucky he hadn't caught her staring at his lips and considering kissing him . Not only had she come close to making a fool of herself, she'd compounded it by letting her embarrassment bother her enough to avoid him. She couldn't believe she'd thrown away what might be their last ever days together, but she'd been so sure if they were alone her secret would be made obvious.

"So, I'm sure your mom will be excited to have you home," she said, trying to get things back to normal. "I know she's missed you like crazy."

"Yeah," he agreed carefully, not wanting to spook her. He sat down on the edge of his bed and folded his hands together, "I've missed her too."

"And Q," she added, chewing almost frantically at her bottom lip, "he'll be happy too."

"He already has the first couple of days planned out," Nathan admitted, trying to keep himself from fidgeting. For some reason sitting here while she paced in front of him, made him feel like a child waiting for his punishment. "I'm sure he'll keep me busy."

He looked across the room at her, dressed in a simple pair of cotton shorts and an orange t-shirt, her hair up in a messy bun and found he still wanted to kiss her. Groaning, he tried to think of something to break the tension, but he was afraid everything he thought of would only make things worse. This was just another reason why he'd vowed to stay away from romantic entanglements, from girls in general really. He hadn't even made a move and it had still ruined everything. He frantically searched for something to talk about that wouldn't chance putting further strain on their relationship, "I heard you say something to Karen yesterday about going to Cheerleading camp, but I didn't get a chance to ask you about it. When did that happen?"

"Oh," she blushed, looking down at her hands and twisting the pinkie ring she always wore. It had been a gift from her father when she was a little girl and even though she'd had to move it down to smaller fingers a couple of times, she never took it off. "Um, that's all Brooke...she's been bugging me about joining the squad since last year."

"And you're going to?" Nathan was surprised, not that he thought she couldn't do it, just that it didn't seem like her type of thing. Of course it seemed Brooke was able to talk her into a lot of things she wouldn't normally do. He started to say something about her sticking up for herself when he suddenly had the image of her dressed up in the short skirt and cropped top he'd seen pictures of her friends wearing. He knew she'd look hot and a month ago he would have told her so, teasing her about it. Instead, he shook his head to try and erase the image from his mind. She'd probably beat him up if she had any idea where his thoughts had gone.

Haley shrugged, completely unaware of his train of thought, "I'm not sure if I will or not, but I won't have the choice if I don't go to camp. Besides, she says it's fun and Peyton is going too so I guess it could be a good time. I don't know. I think I'm mainly going to try and keep her from killing Rachel," she couldn't suppress the laugh that forced its way up at the thought, "Not that I'd be opposed to that so much, but I'd prefer my friend not spend the rest of her life in jail."

Nathan couldn't help but laugh along with her at fierce look on her face, "Well then, I hope she leaves you guys alone, for her sake. I wouldn't want to mess with either of you."

Haley rolled her eyes, relaxing a little. She moved to sit backwards in the chair that went with his desk. Resting her arms on the top rail, she tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear, "I'm not sure I'll like it, but I figure it's only three days. I think I can handle just about anything for that long."

They sat in silence for a moment, both of them scared of breaking the truce they seemed to have stumbled upon, but instead of the peace their silences normally held, this one was becoming uncomfortable.

"I wanted to thank you, you know. You've been a great friend," he hesitated, so many things he wanted to say swirling around in his head. "I know things are a little weird between us right now and I'm sorry, but I need you to know how much I appreciate everything you've done for me. I didn't know anyone when I came, but because of you, I actually came to feel almost at home here. I mean, I'm even getting to be friendly with my brother and I never would've even dreamed that could happen."

Haley smiled softly, "Wow, you're brothers now." She could hardly believe the two people who had started the summer hating each other had come so far and couldn't help feeling a bit of pride that she'd had a hand in it.

"We were always brothers Hales," Nathan winked at her, glad she'd responded more normally. "That kind of happens at birth you know."

She playfully stuck her tongue out at him, "I know that you big dork, but that's the first time I've heard either of you say it."

"Yeah, it's still a little strange to me too," Nathan conceded. They'd come a long way, but it still felt more like a truce than a friendship sometimes. "Lucas says we were just practicing the fighting and hating each other part of it first. Now that we've got that down, we're starting to learn the other parts."

Haley laughed, imagining her friend saying exactly that, "Well, as weird as that sounds, it seems like it's going well."

"It's a work in progress," Nathan nodded, "I'm not sure we'll ever really be the way most brothers are, but I'm glad we're at least getting along."

"That's a big improvement," she was tempted to go over to him and give him a hug; she wanted to so badly that she could practically feel his strong arms wrap around her and hold her close. Instead, she took a deep breath, not willing to chance ruining the accord they'd seemed to stumble upon. "I'm so glad things are working out. You deserve to be happy Nathan."

"You too Hales. I'm sure you'll have a great year and get those scholarships you're hoping for. Send me a picture if you decide to become a cheerleader," he teased lightly. "I'm not sure I'll believe it otherwise."

Haley rolled her eyes, but nodded, "I'll agree to that if you promise to keep me updated on your mom."

"Just my mom?"

"Well, I guess I wouldn't mind if you let me know what was going on with you too," she shrugged, ducking her head. "I'm not sure Q is up to keeping you out of trouble."

Nathan let out a laugh at her comment, just another reason he was going to miss her, she always managed to make him smile. "He's usually the one getting me in trouble, but I'll do my best to not let him lead me too far astray. Wouldn't want you scolding me about misbehaving..."

Haley's smile dropped at the reminder that she wouldn't be around to say anything. She started to stand, realizing that she should get going. She'd accomplished what she'd come for; they were back on good terms and she was afraid if this dragged out she'd start to cry. or beg him to stay. She pasted a less natural smile back on her face, knowing she had to find a way to say goodbye, "I'm sure you'll be fine without me. You have Q and your family... I hope everything goes well for you, that your dreams come true. You deserve that more than anyone ..I want you to know that I won't forget you..." she quickly made a dash for the door. "I just...be happy."

"Stop it Hales," Nathan jumped off the bed in an attempt to cut her off, but for once she was quicker than he'd expected. "Don't go yet..."

"I can't do this," she turned back from halfway down the hall. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

* * *

Nathan laid on his bed, shooting a basketball toward the ceiling over and over again. He'd been in that same position for over an hour, but couldn't bring himself to do anything else. Instead, he used the time to think about where everything had gone wrong and found yet another reason to resent his grandparents. Before the news of their deaths, everything had been good with Haley. He wasn't sure he'd ever felt closer to a person than he sometimes felt to her and even though that scared the crap out of him sometimes, it wasn't something he'd have given up if he'd had the choice. Instead, he'd gone off to that funeral and nothing had been the same since he returned. He had one more chance to see her tonight and he was going make sure things were okay before he left in the morning, even if he had to drag her away from the party to do it. She was too important to him to leave things unresolved.

"There you are," Lucas stuck his head in the doorway. He was obviously ready for the party, with his hair perfectly mussed and his blue dress shirt rolled up to his elbows and untucked over his khaki cargo shorts. "I thought you would be ready to go. Come on and get moving."

Nathan sighed, not really looking forward to going. Sure, he and Lucas were getting along now and he enjoyed the occasional party, but he wasn't looking forward to the girls that inevitably got drunk and threw themselves at him. If Haley weren't going to be there, he probably would've found a way out of attending himself. "I'm ready."

Lucas looked at him and shrugged, unable to keep the smirk off his face, "Suit yourself. I just thought you might want to uh, change. There's going to be a lot of hot chicks there tonight that might just like to give you a going away gift to remember."

"I'm not going there to hook up with some random girl," Nathan half shoved him, "The last thing I need is one of them to give me a gift I end up at the doctor's for."

Lucas choked out a surprised laugh, "I'll remember to tell them that if they ask." When he got control of himself, he looked over at boy he'd hated not long ago, noticing the faraway look in his eyes. That paired with the frown he was sporting had him asking, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Nathan rolled his neck, trying to relieve the tension, "It's kind of funny actually. I've been dreading leaving all week and now that it's close, I can't wait to get out of here. I guess I just need to get back to normal, you know?" As soon as he made sure things were good with Haley, he'd be out of there.

"What is normal anymore?" Lucas asked pointedly, "You can go back there and pretend that nothing has changed, but things won't be the same after this...for any of us. If you think they will, you're lying to yourself."

Nathan released a shaky breath, knowing what he said was true, "I know that, I do," he looked around the room. It was easily twice the size of the one at home, complete with his own bathroom and flat screen television, "and I accept that. I just don't want it to change who I am inside, to make me forget who I was before all of this." He thought about the inheritance he still had to consider and his fears regarding dealing with that kind of wealth. That along with what to do about Haley had tied him up in knots for the last couple of hours, days really "I don't want to become someone I'm not."

Lucas wasn't sure what to think about what his brother was saying, but could accept that he was struggling with whatever it was. "If it helps, I think you're pretty damn strong. I wouldn't be too worried about anything or anyone making you do something against your will."

Nathan cracked a half smile and Lucas seized the opportunity to change the subject. He hated all this mushy talk and he wanted to get to the good stuff. That being drinking and partying all night. "Now let's get you to your party. We can't properly start without the guest of honor and I should probably be there to make sure no one trashes the house."

Nathan nodded, "Yeah," he agreed. "You seem happier today. Just ready to get drunk?"

"And Peyton called again. You know we've been talking more now that things are settled there, " Nathan nodded, "Well, she's coming home in 3 days."

"That's great man," Nathan was happy for him, despite hi situation being the direct opposite. "I'm glad things are working out."

"Yeah, I guess I just needed to have faith, right? If things are meant to be, they have a way of working themselves out."

Nathan nodded and watched his brother leave the room before trying to psyche himself up for what would most likely be a long evening. He wondered what was wrong with him that he felt that way. In the past, he'd always enjoyed a good party, especially since they were virtually impossible to attend while away at school. He figured a big part of it was not having Quentin there as this buffer, but he also wondered if it wasn't also that he'd found it was so much more fun to just sit in quiet with Haley. He shook off his melancholy, determined to have a good time and then get out of town. Tree Hill was seriously turning him into a girl. He flipped off the light to his room, "I think I could use a drink."

* * *

Brooke walked into her friends room, her hands already on her hips before taking in the sight of the petite blonde laying on her bed, wearing a white tank top and pajama bottoms, her wet hair in a braid down her back "What's going on? You're supposed to be ready."

"I'm don't think I'm going," Haley barely took a moment to look up at her. "I'm way behind on my work and I just got an email that the submission date for one of the biggest scholarships has been moved up. I don't have time to be going to some mindless party that'll be the same as the next 10 times."

"Except that Nathan will be there," Brooke sat on the bed, careful not to disturb any of her work. She knew from experience that was a surefire way to end a conversation. "Is that what this whole thing is about? Did you have a fight?"

Haley brushed off the comment, "No, we didn't fight. The only thing he has to do with this is that I'm behind because I spent too much time this summer being his tour guide."

Brooke narrowed her eyes and reached for her pen, taking it out of her hands and forcing her to look up. "That's a bunch of crap," Haley jerked at the unexpected scold. "You spent the summer with him because you wanted to. You can blame that for being behind, but don't make it sound like you did it against your will." She reached over and pushed her friend's hair out of her face, "Now what's really wrong?"

Haley considered her answer carefully before saying anything. She knew Brooke had her best interests at heart, but that she was also aware their idea of what was best for her often differed. She wanted to be honest, but she wasn't sure what was making her so iritable. "I don't know," she admitted. "I mean, I do partly."

"Nathan leaving?" Brooke asked although she was pretty sure she knew the answer. "You guys have gotten awfully close, maybe even closer than you and Lucas if that's even possible. Is that all it is, or is something going on between you?"

"Nothing is going on," Haley protested, moving to sit up. "I don't know why you keep pushing it."

"Because he's gorgeous, and sweet, and I've never seen you happier than you are with him. It's like you light up from the inside or something when he's around," she tried to explain. "I know you say you don't want to date, but it's not every day you find a guy that does that for you."

"Even if you're right, and I'm not saying you are, it wouldn't matter anyway. He's leaving in the morning and he..."

"is coming back for the holidays and there's such a thing now as phones and email. It's not perfect, but it could work. You know it could," Brooke tried, not wanting to give up on something she was so sure could be truly special.

"I was going to say, he's not interested," Haley got to her feet, shaking her head at Brooke who she could tell was preparing to argue. "He's not. Even if I were to change my mind, and I haven't, he's really focused on basketball and I need to get back on track myself. There's just no room there. Maybe if we'd met next year, or we didn't have passions that required so much time and attention, but we do and that's what we have to focus on..." she trailed off, thinking of the possibilities for a moment before reminding herself there was no time for daydreams. Nathan Scott was a great guy and he was going to do great things one day, but even if she had to keep repeating it to herself, he wasn't for her. She couldn't go to that party. If she did, she was liable to forget everything she'd just said and throw herself at him. The look of horror he was likely to give her would hurt her way more than just missing his last night in town.

Brooke sighed, realizing that Haley was digging in her heals and this was one battle she wouldn't win. Still, she knew Haley would regret it if she didn't at least show up for his goodbye party. "Maybe you're right and this is the end for you two, maybe you won't get together or even keep in touch, but if it were me, I'd fight like hell to keep that friendship and I certainly wouldn't bail on him his last night in town to spend it doing things that can be done after he's gone. You've already wasted enough time avoiding him and pretending you could stop it."

"Brooke," Haley whined, "That's not fair. I don't think..."

"I know this sucks for both of you," Brooke admitted, "and I'm pretty sure this is hurting him too, but at least he's not taking the coward's way out." She got up and headed to the door, stopping and turning back, "I love you TG, but this time you're just wrong. I hope you'll think about that."

* * *

The party was in full swing by the time Nathan arrived, Lucas already holding court near the keg with some of his friends. He chuckled as he watched Tim attempting to do a keg stand, already drunk enough to be unsteady on his feet. He couldn't help but wonder if Dan knew what went on at these parties or if he just didn't care. He knew his mom would have kicked his ass if he'd ever attempted orchestrating something like this. Just another way his life back home was different.

"Hey man," his brother noticed him and came over, throwing one hand over his shoulder, "What took you so long?"

"I was with..uh...your dad," he still wasn't comfortable with calling him Dad, but using his first name didn't really seem right either. "He had some things he wanted to talk about before I go."

Lucas nodded, not nearly as upset at the idea as he'd expect, or as he certainly would've been a month earlier. "He probably said something like be safe, make sure you call, don't knock anyone up, blah blah blah..."

Nathan laughed, "Yeah, um, for the most part. He didn't mention that last part though, must be special to you." Truth was, the last couple weeks with his father, things had been better between them. Maybe it was because Dan wasn't trying so hard or maybe it was because he wasn't pushing against it anymore. Either way, Nathan was grateful that he wasn't trying to stop him from going. It had actually felt good when they had talked earlier, almost like he'd expect a goodbye talk with your dad would feel, complete with warnings and well wishes. "It was actually kind of nice."

"Hey man, you finally showed," Skills came over, giving Nathan and Lucas both fist bumps before handing them each a shot glass, "You need to catch up, we're all way ahead of you."

Nathan accepted the glass, closing his eyes and throwing it back, grimacing at the unaccustomed taste. "What the hell was that?"

"It's called a Blow Job shot," Tim laughed, sticking his finger in his mouth and moving it in and out, "We have the drinks now, and the real thing later."

"You wish," Skills laughed, "you'd be lucky just to not get slapped again."

"She was into me," he protested, a pout on his face. "I think she was just playing hard to get."

"Yeah, sex is hard for you to get," Lucas shook his head as he teased his friend. He liked Tim, he really did, but sometimes he was just too easy to tease.

"I thought you were with Rachel?" Nathan asked, noticing gratefully that the redhead wasn't in the immediate vicinity for once.

"She dumped him," Jabar, another one of the group jumped in. "Couldn't take his stupidity anymore."

"No, I broke up with her. Told her Tim needed to be free to play the field, I didn't want to be tied down to just one girl, you know? Gotta let all the girls have a chance at a taste of Tim Time."

The group of guys laughed as he continued to protest that he'd been the one to dump her, moving back over to the group they'd left.

"Is it too much to hope that she isn't here?" Nathan asked, scanning the room and not seeing her. It would certainly make Haley and Brooke happy if she'd decided not to come.

"Yeah," Lucas nodded in direction of the kitchen, "she's in there getting wasted."

"Great," Nathan mumbled, deciding it would be best to avoid that room for a while. He continued searching the area, glad yet again for his superior height, "Is Haley here yet?"

"I don't think so. She was supposed to come with Brooke, but she and Julian arrived just before you did and no Haley. Brooke said she was filling out scholarship stuff and would probably come in a while. She must've been determined because Brooke rarely takes no for an answer."

"Isn't it a little early to be so worried about that?" Nathan's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "I mean, I know she's a planner and she's determined to go to Duke, but we haven't even started our Senior year yet."

Lucas shrugged, "She started filling them out last year. Her parents will try to help, but she's the 7th kid and she knows she won't be getting much from them. She certainly doesn't want to end up with a ton of student loans either so she bought this book that has thousands of scholarships in it and she's applying for every single one that she has even a tiny chance at getting."

"But I remember some of the seniors working on those last year, most of those require essays or videos," Nathan was taken aback at the enormity of the task she'd set for herself. If Haley was really planning on doing that many, she'd wear herself out with school and her job. Not even considering if she allowed Brooke to convince her to join the cheer squad.

"Thus why she started so early. I haven't really seen her doing too much this summer, so maybe that's why she's stressing and doing it now. If I know her, she's starting to panic that she's gotten behind her self-imposed schedule," he shook his head as he thought about her almost obsessive need to be perfect when it came to anything scholastic. He paused, his hand going to his scruffy chin, "or it could be that something upset her. She tends to go into this mode when she needs to deal with something emotional. One time when she was staying with us, I found her still up at 5am doing practice algebra problems because Ernie Sullivan was making fun of her in their math class and she decided she was going to study hard enough to test out of it."

Nathan's eyebrow rose, that sounded awfully difficult, "Did it work?"

"What do you think? it's Haley," Lucas looked at him as if he were an idiot. "When we were freshman, she was tutoring Seniors because she'd already taken the classes many of them were still struggling with."

"What happened to the jerk?"

"He transferred schools after the other kids found out he still wet the bed," Lucas shrugged. Nathan cocked an eyebrow and he admitted, "Even though she swore she didn't need my help, I still couldn't let him get away with messing with her."

Nathan was relieved to hear that Lucas had her back, but still couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. He hoped she really was just working and not upset about something. He thought they'd been okay earlier despite her exit, but felt the need to make sure she was okay, "I think I'm going to call and check on her."

"Don't," Lucas stopped his hand as it pulled out his phone. "If she is working, she'll be pissed at the interruption. Give her another hour and then if she doesn't show, you can feel free to brave her wrath."

Nathan accepted that he had a point and put his phone back in his pocket. The last thing he wanted to do was make her mad, or as he feared was the case, madder. He just wanted to spend at least some of his last night with her, the way they used to be.

An hour and more than a few drinks later, he headed out to the back deck and found a relatively quiet spot on set of stairs, pulling out his phone and dialing her number. "Haley," he almost whispered into the phone when the answering machine picked up. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here," he swore he was hearing things as her voice floated to him across the sound of the waves.

Turning he, closed his eyes and then opened them again, making sure he wasn't just seeing what he wanted to see. When he was convinced she was real, he offered her a lopsided smile, "Hi Hales."


	21. Chapter 21

"Hi Hales," Nathan said her nickname in a way no one else did, like he was cherishing her with the simple word. Haley looked down at him and sighed. He was sitting sprawled out on one of the deck chairs, looking better than anyone had a right to especially when they'd been drinking, and yet she felt more the urge to cry than to sit down with him. She'd thought that taking the "rip off the Band-Aid" approach would be easiest, just say goodbye and get it over with, but after her talk with Brooke and more than a few tears, she'd realized it wasn't going to work. A month earlier when a psychic told her that someone's departure from her life would devastate her, she'd been a little nervous at first, but had eventually blown it off as an exaggeration. The way she was feeling when he hadn't even left yet had her doubting her decision and expecting things to only get worse.

She didn't understand how someone who had been in her life for such short amount of time could make such a huge impact. He'd fit into her life so seamlessly that she had to remind herself sometimes how brief their relationship had been. He "got" her in a way that no one, not even Brooke or Lucas, did anymore. She could be herself with him without second guessing what he'd think of her or worrying about upsetting the way he thought of her by doing something unexpected. At least she could before she'd developed a crush on him. She didn't even know how she let that happen. It felt like one minute she'd been goofing off and teasing him and the next she'd been noticing how blue his eyes were and how his shirt clung to the muscles of his chest. Her heart started racing and she'd felt like she needed to check her mouth for drool. Of course she'd noticed his looks before, but all of a sudden, she'd felt the need to feel those muscles pressed to hers, those eyes staring into soul. He had hugged her and it had felt so right and so wrong at the same time that it had caused her to panic and push him away. Now, she was doing it again and she had to stop. No matter how he felt or didn't feel about her, she couldn't let him down after how wonderful he'd been.

So, after drying her tears and putting the final touches on the essay she'd been working on, she'd finally resigned herself to going and playing the best buddy, unable to let him go without at least having that. She knew it might make the hurt even worse, but she was like a moth to a flame and couldn't stay away. Haley was good at doing the right thing, the things people expected of her, so she convinced herself things were for the best and came to the party determined to have a good time, but when he smiled at her it was too easy to realize what she was losing.

"It looks like maybe you had a few drinks," she moved over to sit on the edge of the chair and handed him a bottle of water. "Having fun?"

"Not really," he shrugged, the alcohol rushing through his system making him less guarded than usual. He took a long drink, the ice cold liquid helping cool him in the still hot and humid night air. "I've been looking for you all night, I was starting to think you weren't coming."

She accepted the accusation, knowing the truth was she had tried to stay away. She wanted to tell him that it hurt too much to see him and that she wished they had more time. She wanted to ask him if there was ever a chance that he could feel the same way she had started to feel and tell him that she'd wait if that's what it took. She shook her head, knowing she couldn't take that risk. Instead, she pasted on a smile she hoped looked more genuine than it felt and was actually glad for a moment he was at least buzzed so he wouldn't notice, "Well I'm here now."

He smiled again, reaching out and playing with the ends of her loose hair, "It's beautiful out here," he told her, his tone wistful. He wished the other people out on the other side of the deck would leave and let them enjoy the moment in peace. It hit him that he might not ever have another moment like this with her, "It's endless, the possibilities."

Haley nodded and Nathan moved closer, "Have you ever wondered what it would have been like if my dad had known about me from birth? Maybe I would've been raised right here alongside Lucas. We could've known each other our whole lives."

Haley tilted her head to the side, for the first time considering that outcome. Would she have come to have these feelings for him if that had been the case, or would she see him as a brother like she did Lucas? She looked at their hands where his fingers had almost automatically entwined with hers, finding the odds of ever thinking of him in that fashion to be negligible. "It's hard to imagine your mom would've ever let you go."

"She could come too. We could be one big, messy, dysfunctional family," he chuckled, looking over at Haley's horrified face.

"You know, there are times when I'm jealous of how he's grown up, not having to worry about money or safety. I mean, I like my life, I do, and I wouldn't trade my mom or Q or any of it, but I'm going to miss the freedom I've had here. I've always had school, and work, and basketball, and helping my mom... I've never had the chance just do whatever I want and not have to worry about how to get there or how much it costs. It's a heady feeling."

Haley agreed, "It is." She'd always been a little envious of Lucas for that. It wasn't that he didn't work, but he did it to help his mom, not because he had to help his family make ends meet. He didn't think twice about throwing a party in a house big enough to hold hers three times over and then paying for it to be cleaned. Sometimes, she wondered how they managed to stay friends with as different as their lives were.

"It's not real though," he turned his eyes to her and suddenly he didn't seem like someone who had been drinking, he seemed intense, like he was sharing a piece of his soul. "It's like a once in a lifetime vacation. It's wonderful and eye opening and you want to stay forever, but if you do, it won't be magical anymore. Eventually, most of us have to go back to real life." He brushed his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand, "I'm going to miss you Hales. I want you to know..."

"I'm going to miss you too Nathan, I..." their words overlapped.

"Nate? Where are you man?"

They both went quiet at the yell, hoping being in the shadows would be enough for them to go undetected.

"Come on, I know you're out here. Lucas wants you inside to do some toast or something. Please don't make come looking for you. I don't like the dark."

Nathan and Haley looked at each other, "Tim," they both whispered, trying to keep from giggling and giving themselves away.

They stayed still, hoping he'd give up, "Come on Nate...He'll kick my ass if I don't bring you back."

Nathan reluctantly pulled away. It seemed like there was never a good time for them and he wondered if maybe he should take it as a sign, "I better go..."

"Yeah, I haven't seen Brooke yet and I'm sure she's worried," Haley tucked her hair behind her ear. "I..."

"Meet me tomorrow," Nathan cut her off. "I don't know if I'll get another chance to really talk to you tonight and there are some things I need to tell you. Just..." he ran his hand through his hair as he heard Tim call for him again. "Just come for breakfast at the docks, okay? 7am?"

Haley nodded her agreement, "I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay tonight, I just wanted to say bye and now..." she shook her head, "you better go. I'll see you first thing tomorrow."

They both stood and Nathan reached out to give her a hug. "I'm really glad you came."

Haley closed her eyes and rested her head against his strong chest. It wasn't the first time they'd hugged, but each time she relished the feeling of being protected and yet made stronger at the same time. She feared it would be the last time she'd ever be so close to him again and she found herself trying to memorize the feeling to hold onto forever. "Me too."

* * *

Nathan searched the crowd, once again trying to catch a glimpse of Haley in the throng of people. Lucas had outdone himself and invited what seemed like the entire state, but the one person he wanted to see had gotten separated from him over an hour ago. He'd caught a glimpse of her talking to Brooke during the toast, but then she'd disappeared again and he wondered if she'd gone home.

He kept an eye out for her as he met new people whose names he'd never remember, despite the fact that the water and fresh air had done wonders for how he felt. He decided he'd had enough and was going to head home, but first he wanted to find Lucas and tell him he was leaving. He searched the main rooms and then someone told him they thought he'd gone into the trophy room. Following their directions, he entered a large study type room with a large desk and built in shelves that covered the entirety of one wall. Those shelves were full of trophies, awards, and other basketball memorabilia. The opposite wall had framed Scott jersey's from Tree Hill and UNC as well as a signed Michael Jordan Tar heel jersey. As with the rest of the house, the room screamed wealth and privilege, despite the group of teens and bottles of alcohol spread all over it.

"Nathan," Brooke yelled, despite the room's relatively small size. "Come play with us."

He walked closer, checking out the people sitting on the leather sofa, chairs, and even a few on the floor that was littered with empty bottles. "We're playing I never," Julian added, lifting the bottle of tequila in his hand. "If you've done what the person says, you have to do a shot of this."

Nathan was familiar with the game, although it had been done with beer, not shots, back home. It wasn't his favorite game, but seeing Haley sitting next to Brooke was enough to make him stay and join in. It couldn't be too bad if she was playing. Brooke gestured him over to the couch and then scooted over to make a small space for him to sit between her and Haley. He looked at her like she was crazy and she stuck her tongue out at him before moving to sit on her boyfriend's lap, leaving him enough room to fit.

He sat down, not sure if he should be grateful or angry with Brooke's interference. Of course he wanted to sit next to Haley, he always wanted to be wherever she was, but things were still a little awkward between them and he didn't want to chance doing anything to make it worse. Playing drinking games while virtually pressed up against her seemed like a recipe for disaster.

"I've never peed outside," one of the giggling girls sitting near Luke got the game going again, causing all the guys and surprisingly Haley to groan and take a drink. Everyone looked at her and she crossed her arms, pouting, "We were camping. Where else was I supposed to go?"

"Never have I ever been arrested," one of the guys took his turn, laughing as Lucas, Tim, and surprisingly Haley and Brooke all took drinks. Nathan looked at Haley in confusion and she pointed her finger at her best friend, "It was his fault. Stupid jerk."

"We might have gotten caught trying to steal," he looked at Haley's face and rolled his eyes, "borrow, the huge Pirate hat the hicks mascot was going to wear for our homecoming game last year."

"If the team is called the hicks why do they have a pirate hat?" Nathan was confused.

"Their mascot is officially a pirate, we just call them the hicks because they're well...different," Lucas explained.

"And it's way out in Nowheresville," Brooke added. "It's like in a different country or something."

Haley rolled her eyes, leaning past Nathan, "county. It's in another county."

"Right," Brooke grinned, moving so she was actually straddling Julian's lap. She burped and giggled as she covered her mouth, "They sound so much the same."

Haley and Nathan shared a smile at her statement before Rachel stood up, "I've never had a one night stand," she grinned, refilling her glass and taking a drink, "Oh wait, I have," she laughed, making it obvious she'd taken more than her share that evening. "I hope I don't have to drink for every time..."

Nathan grimaced and reached for a drink, drawing a few oohs and awws from the crowd despite several others, including his brother, drinking as well. He felt Haley stiffen and didn't have to look to know her eyes held confusion and disappointment in them. He didn't have to admit it he guessed, no one else here was privy to his history, but he hadn't even thought about it. Most of his friends already knew and would've expected him to take the drink. Besides, if he and Haley managed to stay friends, she'd find out anyway and then it would be worse because he lied. Sighing, he kept his eyes forward as she scooted further toward the armrest and away from him. Suddenly that side of him felt cold and he wasn't sure if it was from missing her body heat or from the way she was freezing him out.

After another trip around the room, where thankfully he only had to take one more drink, Brooke decided she'd been at about her limit and changed the game to Truth or Dare.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Haley tried to stop her, "I think we've all done enough for tonight."

"Noooo," Brooke whined, "I want to keep playing. It's so much fun. Pleeeeassse Haley? Please play?"

"Let her go Brooke," Rachel said, drawing everyone's attention to them. "You know she's a baby and she won't do anything fun. She's a complete waste for a game like this, I don't get why you guys even invite her to these things."

Haley looked over at Nathan for the first time since she'd moved away from him. He looked relieved at her attention and she felt bad for her reaction. He had a right to do whatever he pleased, it wasn't like they were dating, she'd just been disappointed. She'd thought he was better than the other guys she'd met so far and it took her a little while to remember that he whatever he'd done in his past, he'd shown her that in every way she could see, he was. Making the decision to put his past where it belonged, she attempted to gauge his reaction to the game before she made a decision. He seemed willing to play and annoyed with Rachel for her comments, although Haley had to admit Rachel was partially right. She didn't mind playing I Never because she rarely had to drink more than a couple times, and she hadn't really done anything worth being embarrassed about, but she usually begged off Truth or Dare. She didn't think she was a waste, but she didn't like doing anything outside her comfort zone and she didn't like people knowing her secrets. Still, Nathan was obviously more worldly than she was and she didn't want to look like a loser or child in front of him, sure that would go a long way toward keeping her firmly in the friend zone. "Okay, I guess I can play for a little while."

"Yay," Brooke squealed, leaning down and giving her boyfriend a celebration kiss. "I'm so proud of my little Tutor Girl. She's all grown up."

Nathan placed his hand on her Haley's arm, causing her to turn back to him, "You don't have to play if you don't feel comfortable with it. We can go if you want. No one will think less of you."

Haley looked around the room and knew that wasn't true. Hell, even she would think less of herself. When did she start being the girl that everyone needed to protect, that people thought was too weak to play a simple game? It was no wonder he only thought of her as a friend, "I'm good," she assured him, before looking over at Brooke. She forced excitement into her voice, "Who's first?"

The game started on the other side of the room and was pretty mild, most people choosing truth until it was Rachel's turn, "Dare," she said, staring across the room at Nathan before looking back at the person choosing for her, "Give me something good."

"Flash us all," Jabar threw out.

"That's too easy," she rolled her eyes, pouting.

"Not as easy as you are," Lucas added, "most everyone here has already seen it all."

The guys laughed and hooted at his statement and Rachel flicked him off, "Not like you're exactly Mr. Innocent Scott."

"No, " Tim cut off the blonde Scott's response, looking more serious than Nathan had ever seen him, "It's my choice and I want her to lick the inside of the toilet. Apparently, her mouth likes being places it shouldn't."

The boys laughed even harder, slapping Tim on the back and goofing around. Rachel's smile faltered slightly and Nathan assumed something had gone on between the two, something more than what either had admitted about their parting of ways. Rachel looked back at him and eventually, stomped off to the bathroom, a group of people hastily following to watch.

"I think Rachel cheated on him," Brooke turned to Haley, her "whisper" loud enough to be heard by everyone nearby, "I heard something earlier."

"Are you surprised? I didn't think they were even a real couple," Haley answered back. "I always thought she's was just using him to get invited to things."

"Well he thought they were," Julian told them. "He looks like he was pretty hurt."

They looked over at where he was leaning against the wall, having moved away from the rest of the guys, "I really hate her," Brooke said as she walked back into the room, grabbing a bottle off the table and taking a big swig.

"We know," Julian laughed, "you tell us all the time."

Brooke pouted as the game started up again, not really paying attention until it was her turn. She started to say dare, but Julian cautioned her, "You've had a lot to drink and things are getting a little dicey...just, maybe truth would be best."

Brooke nodded, accepting his advice although disappointed, and answered her question, adding a middle finger to the end of her response before turning to Nathan, "Truth or dare?"

Nathan looked at Haley's friend and debated his answer. He figured she wouldn't ask him anything too bad, but she was pretty drunk so there was no way of knowing. He'd already upset Haley once and didn't want to risk that happening again, but a dare could be equally risky. Deciding that nothing that had been required so far was that bad, he decided to go with a dare.

"This is an easy one," Brooke grinned, "kiss the prettiest girl in the room."

There was a murmur across the room as people wondered who he'd choose. Most people from their school would choose either Brooke herself or Rachel, but Nathan hadn't shown any interest in either, much to the redhead's dismay.

Nathan closed his eyes, realizing the dangerous position Brooke had put him in. If he kissed Haley, he risked scaring her away for good, if he chose anyone else, it was like saying to her face he thought someone else was better than her. He looked around the room at all the expectant faces before coming to rest on Haley's. She wasn't looking at him, instead looking past him to glare at her oblivious friend, and he took the chance to really look at her. She was beautiful and she didn't even try, or realize it for that matter, which made her so refreshing. He'd thought so from their first meeting and getting to know her only intensified that feeling. He wanted to kiss her so bad he had to ball his hands up into fists to keep from reaching out and pulling her into him. As if she could feel his eyes on her she turned her head and met his stare, her eyes widening and her mouth turning down in what he assumed was worry. She looked scared to death that he might kiss her and his heart plummeted to his feet at the realization. Still, he couldn't bring himself to choose anyone else. It wouldn't be fair to them, and frankly he had no interest, so he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. His eyes searched hers, hoping to find he'd read her wrong, but once again being disappointed as she quickly pulled back away from him.

"That doesn't count," Brooke whined, drawing his attention and making him remember there was an entire room full of people watching.

"You didn't specify," Nathan argued, "You just said a kiss." He leaned back and away from Haley. He wanted to finish off the bottle of gin on the table in front of him, but dreaded the hangover he was already probably heading for. Maybe he should skip the drinking and just jump in his car and head home. He could immerse himself back into basketball and try to forget any of this summer ever happened. He closed his eyes and saw her bottomless brown eyes behind his lids, fat chance of forgetting those.

"He's right," Julian agreed, his hand rubbing her back as he tried to calm her down, "just let it go."

"But he ruined it," she whimpered, "that shouldn't count."

"Look at little miss innocent," an angry Rachel spat, "such a little goody goody that even a pity kiss has to be on her cheek."

"Stop it," Nathan said, snapping out of his little pity party. He might be hurt, but that didn't mean he was going to let anyone talk to her that way, "you have no right..."

"Just shut up bitch," Haley stood up, surprising everyone into silence. "I'm so sick of your crap. Just because you threw yourself at him and he still wasn't interested doesn't mean you have a right to talk to people like that. We're friends and you're not. Get the hell over yourself." She turned and marched out of the now silent room, everyone turning back to Rachel's stunned form the minute she closed the door behind her.

"She's right," Brooke said, carefully disentangling from her boyfriend, "We're all sick of you. Go be a slut somewhere else." She stood and after stumbling and steadying herself, followed her friend from the room.

"I think that's enough for tonight," Lucas said, standing himself and glaring at Rachel, "especially you."

* * *

Haley paced back and forth as Brooke sat on the bed, holding her head in her hands. Haley had needed some time to cool down from what had happened and headed straight for Lucas' room. It was one of only two rooms, the other being his parents room, that people knew they weren't allowed to use.

"I'm sorry...I've seen the way he looks at you and I was sure he would choose you and everything would work out..." Brooke's voice was soft when she looked up, "I just want you to be happy.

"I know," Haley tried to calm herself, "but you just made it worse. Rachel was right, he only kissed me because he didn't know who else to choose. If you noticed, he looked the entire room over before he chose me and even then he could only bring himself to kiss me on the cheek. He doesn't feel anything romantic for me."

"I don't think that's true..." Brooke tried to protest. "I didn't want it to turn out like this, I didn't want you hurt. Damn him."

"I'll be fine," Haley promised, sitting next to her on the bed. "It' was simple crush on a good looking guy. I'll get over it."

Nathan had been looking all over for the missing girls, but the place was like labyrinth of hallways. Just as he was about to give up, he finally heard them through an open door as he walked down the upstairs hallway.

"I don't think it's that easy," Brooke doubted her friend's assertion.

"You're right, life isn't easy. It isn't a fairytale where everything works out. No matter how hard you try to push us together, we aren't going to magically become this storybook couple. We are friends and that's all we're ever meant to be," Haley said, not sure who she was trying hardest to convince. "I wish you would just accept that. Not everyone needs to be part of a couple to be happy. I have other things I want to do with my life."

She stood up, getting frustrated all over again, "I can't believe you did that to me," Haley shook her head at her friend, tears leaking down her cheeks. "You put both of us in a terrible position. Do you have any idea how wrong that was?"

"I'm sorry Haley," Brooke apologized, "I wasn't thinking, I had this idea and...I would never hurt you on purpose. It was supposed to be fun."

"Well it wasn't," Haley leaned back against the wall, her feet sliding out from under her. "It was awful."

Nathan leaned back against the wall and sighed. He hadn't even realized how much he'd been hoping she felt more than friendship for him until he'd heard her deny any feelings. Straightening, he grabbed his keys from his pocket and made his way to the front door. He had an early trip in the morning and he needed to get some sleep. Especially if he was going to be able to see Haley in the morning without giving away everything he was feeling. For the first time in almost 2 years he'd considered putting himself out there and the door had just been slammed in his face before he could even knock.

"I know you're strong and you have dreams Haley, but it's possible to have it all. Are you really sure that's all you want?" Brooke asked, coming to sit on the floor next to her.

Haley leaned her head on her friend's shoulder, "We don't always get what we want."

* * *

Nathan set 2 coffees and muffins down on the table before sitting down on the bench. It was a surprisingly bright, sunny morning, totally opposite of his mood, and he was glad he'd brought sunglasses. After drinking more than usual the previous evening he wasn't sure he could've handled the extreme brightness any other way.

Looking down at his watch, he saw it was 7 and started looking around for Haley. She was usually early, but she'd drank a decent amount the night before so he wouldn't be surprised if she was a bit sluggish as well. His stomach growled, but he wanted to wait and eat with her so he drank his coffee and looked out over the water. It was quiet there that time of day and he thought about all that had happened in the past few months, where he'd gone wrong and things he'd done right. It was hard to believe it hadn't been longer than it had with everything that had happened. He reached in and grabbed the little wrapped box that contained the necklace he'd gotten her. It wasn't much, but the minute Lucas had let it slip that her birthday was the next week, he'd been determined to get her something before he left. The simple gold chain with the H hanging from it had seemed like something she'd like.

He looked back down at his watch and was surprised to find it was already 7:20. Haley was never more than a minute or two late and he started to get worried that maybe she was sick or something. He didn't think she'd had that much to drink, but she was a tiny thing and it could've really gotten to her. Digging his phone out of his bag, he tried calling her, but she didn't answer and it went to voicemail. He hung up, wondering what was going on. Haley always had her phone.

He started worry and picked up his muffin, needing something to do. What if she'd ended up in the hospital or maybe she had ended up in a ditch somewhere. He could hear his mom's voice in his head and he knew that even though he'd been upset, he should have made sure she got home okay. He called again and after getting her answering machine, he stood and started to pace as he practically inhaled the rest of his muffin. He considered driving to the beach house and driving the route back to her house but was concerned he'd miss her if she showed up. Looking at his watch again and seeing it was almost 8, he dug around and found a paper with a blank back, writing her a message that he'd been there and was worried, adding a note to call him if she found it. He set her coffee on top of it so it wouldn't blow away and headed to his car. He needed to do something other than sit and wait.

He reached the beach house and after seeing that the only people there were the cleaning crew and Lucas who swore Haley had left shortly after he had the night before and that she was supposed to work at 9. He tried calling her for at least the fifth time and left his second message, urging her to call him. He was starting to freak out. He'd tried her home phone earlier and no one had answered, but he decided to try it again. This time, a grumpy female voice answered the phone, "Oh thank God," Nathan said, "is Haley there?"

"Who's asking?"

"It's Nathan, is she there? I haven't been able to get a hold of her and I was getting worried," he answered. "Can I talk to her?"

"Did you try her cell?

"Several times, she's not answering," his voice rose in frustration. "Please just tell me if she's there."

"She's here," Taylor said, throwing herself back on her bed, "but if you had any part in why she was so upset when she got home last night, maybe she's just avoiding you."

"Is she okay?"

"I haven't talked to her this morning, but she cried herself to sleep," Taylor threw at him. Haley hadn't said much, but she'd mumbled enough for Taylor to know who to blame. She'd never seen her sister so upset and she wasn't above taking it out on the person she deemed responsible.

Nathan didn't want to believe that her crying had anything to do with him, but maybe she felt even a kiss on the cheek had been pushing the barriers of their friendship too far, or maybe she had read how much more he had really wanted in his eyes. Either way, he couldn't imagine she'd have been that upset over what Brooke or Rachel had done. "Okay, I'm sorry. Damn it, can you tell her I'm sorry and that...never mind. Um, I have a birthday present for her and I'm going to drop it off. Just, please make sure she gets it, okay?"

"Whatever," Taylor answered, yawning as her eyes drifted closed again. "Just leave it on the porch."

Nathan drove up to the James house and got out of the car, looking up at the window he knew was hers. He contemplated demanding to see her, but if she was avoiding him, he didn't want to make things worse just to see her one more time. She'd made the decision to blow off their meeting, not wanting to see him, and he'd abide by her wishes. So, instead of beating down her door, he resigned himself to leaving her gift and mentally berated himself for not thinking of getting her a card. There were so many things he wanted to say and so few he felt he could. After a fruitless search for something to write on, he'd pulled out the only paper he had left in his car and wrote three words on the back of a receipt, tucking it into the bow the saleswoman had put on top of the box for him and then placing it in front of the door.

"Happy Birthday Hales."


	22. Chapter 22

Sorry this took so long. My kids had spring break so I was really busy and I haven't really felt inspired lately. Anyway, I finally got this done and we're almost back to the first chapter/proposal. Thank you for those of you that have stuck with me, your reviews and messages mean so much (especially when I don't feel like writing). Hopefully now that things are back to a more normal pace, the next chapter will come out faster. I want to get to the romance as fast as you all do.

 **Ch 22**

"Damn it Nate, if you hit me again, I swear I'm gonna hit back," Quentin growled, shoving his friend in the shoulder. "Whatever you're so pissed about, don't take it out on me."

"I'm not pissed about anything, I'm just playing ball," Nathan responded, turning and starting to walk away. He turned back, at the scoffing sound his friend let out, "What do you want from me?"

"Besides for you to stop being an ass?" Q shot back, throwing a chest pass that nearly knocked his unexpecting friend down. "I want you to tell me what's going on."

"Nothing," Nathan walked over and sat on the bench on the sidelines, taking a long drink from his water bottle. "Everything's fine.

"Come on," Q clearly didn't believe him. He put his hands on his hips, "I know you've been gone for awhile man, but in case you forgot, I know you. Now spill."

"It's hard to adjust to being back home," Nathan admitted, his leg bouncing in agitation, "My mom is trying to do too much, too fast and I'm glad she feels good, but I'm freaking out she's going to end up back in the hospital. I know she's worried about money while I'm driving a fancy new car, which by the way makes me feel guilty as hell. I'm nervous about leaving for school because I'm afraid she'll work herself into the ground when she should be resting. I'm worried that I didn't do enough this summer and that it's going to put me behind when the season starts and I know everyone will be counting on us this year. It's all just getting to me."

"Okay, I'm not trying to make it sound like none of that is important, because it is and I know how much you worry about your mom especially, but it's nothing you haven't dealt with before. You've never let pressure affect you, so what's making it bother you so much now? Living with your rich daddy make you soft?"

Nathan glared at his friend, "Cut the crap Q. You know it's not like that, I just...I don't know why it seems so much harder than before. I always knew exactly what was expected of me, what I needed to do. Now I feel like I'm being pulled in different directions."

Q shrugged, pausing for a moment, "You sure it doesn't have anything to do with missing your girl?"

"She's not my girl," Nathan shook his head, "right now, I'm not sure she's even still my friend."

"Okay," Quentin was shocked, they'd seemed so close when they visited weeks earlier, but he assumed he'd finally hit on what was making his friend act so strange, "What did you do?"

"Me? Why do you assume it's my fault?" Nathan was indignant. He threw his hands up in the air, "Maybe she's the one that screwed it up."

"Was she?"

"Yes...no...I don't know. Everything was great and then it's like it just fell apart," Nathan shoved his fingers through his hair and flopped back onto the bench. "I don't even know what happened." He went on to tell his friend about the last week in Tree Hill and how he left it.

"You're an idiot," Quentin started to laugh, holding his sides as he finally caught his breath. "Come on man, I know you've been on this self-imposed no girls thing, but that doesn't mean you're supposed to completely forget how to deal with them."

"I know how to handle girls," Nathan argued. "I do it all the time."

"No, you know how to deal with groupies," Q was still chuckling. Seeing Nathan Scott, big man on campus and guy all the girls chased struggling to deal with one was hilarious. "You seem to be clueless when it comes to girls you like." Nathan started to say something and he cut him off, "Don't even try to argue with me. I know you too well and I saw you with her."

"Okay, I like her," Nathan admitted, "but it doesn't matter because she doesn't feel the same way."

"Are you sure?" Quentin asked, no longer laughing as he realized how serious his friend was about it. "Because it looked to me like she thought you hung the moon."

"I heard it from her directly and if that wasn't enough, standing me up was a pretty big clue," Nathan's tone was defeated. He knew them making it as a couple was a long shot, but he never dreamed he might lose her friendship and that was even more important to him. He'd always prided himself on being strong and self-sufficient, but the previous days had convinced him he needed her in his life, even if it was from afar.

"Did she give you a reason?" Q was confused. What his friend was telling him didn't fit with what he knew about her. She was straight-forward and dependable, she wouldn't have just not shown up, "Something must've happened."

"No, she just wasn't there, no call, nothing. I know she was home though because I talked to her sister. She said Haley was mad at me and cried herself to sleep," Nathan hurt just imagining it. "I don't even know what I did."

"So you left and she didn't even call?" Quentin was shocked, "you really must've pissed her off. That doesn't at all sound like the same girl that worked so hard to help your mom plan your party. She really didn't even try to explain?"

Nathan looked at the ground and didn't answer, his unwillingness to look at his friend all the answer needed.

"She did call," he deduced, "What did she say?"

"She left me a message that she lost her phone and overslept, but I don't know," Nathan admitted. He saw the look his friend was giving him and felt the need to defend himself, "I didn't get it until hours later and by then I was too worked up to call her back."

"And what about since then?"

Nathan stood and started pacing, his frustration making him restless. "I'm not sure what to say. I don't care if she doesn't want to date me or whatever...okay, I do care, but I understand why she wouldn't want to. "

"But?"

"But what if she doesn't even want to be friends anymore? What if she just called because she felt guilty for bailing?" Nathan looked like he'd been crushed under the weight of his emotions. Even when his last relationship had gone to hell Nathan hadn't looked like this. Angry and hurt? Yes. Scared and lost? Not for a second.

Q needed to get to the bottom of this, "Maybe that's not the only thing you're scared of."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think you're scared she might actually return your feelings,"

"Why would I be scared of that?"

"Because then you'd have to put yourself out there and risk getting hurt. On top of that, you'd have a hell of a time having to manage a relationship from hours away. I think that's why you didn't let yourself admit you wanted her until it was basically too late to do anything about it."

"So you're a psychologist now?"

"No, but I've been telling you for weeks that you liked her and you waited until a couple of days before you left to admit it. I think it's easier to moan about what could have been than to actually try to make it happen. You're scared you'll get your heart broken, but she's not Tiffanie."

Nathan scowled at his friend, "I know she's not. She's nothing like her."

"I agree," Quentin nodded, having not liked Nathan's previous girlfriend right from the beginning.

"I was a mess when all that happened," Nathan admitted, "and I already care so much more about Haley. I can't lose her Q. I've already realized that since I've been home."

"Wow, you turned into a weenie while you were there. You're Nathan Scott," Quentin told him, needing him to snap out of his freak out. If anger was what it took, he could handle it. They'd been like brothers for years and there'd been plenty of punches thrown and tackles made. "I've watched you go through some pretty crappy stuff since we met Nate. I've seen you stand bravely while the doctor reset your broken arm when we were 10, I watched you stand up to bullies twice your size, and I've watched you stay strong for your mom through all of her illness, but now you're scared of a girl?"

"So you think I should just call and tell her how I feel?"

"I think you should call her, but I didn't say anything about confessing your undying love. Look at where things stand, I mean really look before you make any decisions. You're in different states for the next year while you finish high school. There will be very little time for talking to each other and you'd be lucky to see each other twice the entire year," Quentin started.

"I know, but..."

"Then you're planning on going to colleges even further apart for the next at least 3 years, unless you're going to follow her to Duke."

"No, but we could figure something out," Nathan was quick to rationalize.

"So you'd expect her to give up her plans to come with you?"

"No, of course not...I wouldn't do that. I know how important they are to her," Nathan would never expect Haley to give up what she wanted for him. He knew how hard she worked and what it all meant to her.

"Like your dreams are to you," Q couldn't help but point out. "I'm not trying to be an ass about this Nate, but you have to be realistic. I like Haley a lot and I think you'd be good together too, but even great couples that have been together for years can't usually handle that kind of distance and you're considering starting a relationship that way?"

Nathan sighed, "I know it's stupid, I've told myself that for months. It would probably be a disaster and we'd screw up everything we already have...I just can't help but wonder if I'll ever feel like this again."

"I don't know what to tell you," Q felt powerless. This wasn't the kind of thing they normally talked about, although recent months had made it more common, "I do know that whatever you decide, you need to talk to her soon or it won't matter. The silent treatment isn't the way to go, no matter your reason."

* * *

"Haley, come on," Taylor whined, knocking on her sister's locked door. "This is getting ridiculous. I said I was sorry."

She heard footsteps stomping their way across the room before the door was thrown open by an annoyed Haley, one hand holding her phone and the other a spoon of cookie dough, "I'm pretty sure Nathan is still pissed at me and you think sorry fixes it? What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that you came home bawling your eyes out over some guy and I wasn't going to let him hurt you again."

"He didn't hurt me, he didn't even do anything wrong!" Haley shouted.

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" Taylor yelled back. "I was trying to be a good sister for once."

Haley's anger deflated and she walked back into her room, taking a seat on her bed. "He thinks I did it on purpose. I mean, I called him three times and even left him a message, but he still hasn't responded. He probably doesn't ever want to see me again."

"Being a bit melodramatic don't you think?" Taylor laughed, moving to the bed to sit alongside the shorter girl and stealing her spoon. "Come on, that's my department." Haley scowled at her sister, but she was undaunted. "He might be pissed, but unless he's stupid, he knows you don't hate him and I'm sure he doesn't hate you. He's probably a bit overwhelmed with getting back to his regular life and helping his mom. Let him calm down and things will be okay."

"You think so?" Haley asked, looking more like a little girl than the always strong sister Taylor was usually jealous of. The one who never made mistakes and everyone adored. Haley had never really seemed like she needed her and it felt nice to be a real big sister for the first time in as long as she could remember.

"I'm sure of it," she said, "and if I'm wrong, he doesn't deserve your time or tears anyway." She grabbed the phone out of her sister's hand and tossed it away toward the head of the bed "Now stop moping and get changed. We're going to do something fun. I know Mom and Dad have something planned for your big day tomorrow, but let's go out now, just the two of us. Today, boys don't exist."

* * *

Nathan walked into the apartment and looked around for his mom. When he didn't see her, he noticed that her door was closed and assumed she was still asleep. He was glad she was resting. She got tired so quickly these days and he'd been trying to convince her to sleep in and heal, but she was determined to try and get back to her regular life, reminding him more than once that she was the parent.

He pulled off his sweaty t-shirt and placed it in his hamper before heading to the bathroom and turning on the water. He definitely missed the Scott's shower, he mused, quickly washing before getting dressed in a clean t-shirt and shorts. He looked in the cupboards and made a note to go buy some groceries later. No one had really been living in the apartment for months and there wasn't much there except a couple of cans of tuna and a box of spaghetti noodles. Deciding to go to the pub to get some lunch he locked up and headed downstairs, completely unprepared for the sight of his mother bussing tables.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he stormed over to her. "You're supposed to be taking it easy."

Deb looked around, smiling reassuringly at the customers that were watching the confrontation. "What are you thinking talking to me like that?"

Nathan mumbled an apology as she continued, "I'm working. I can't just lay around and expect the bills to get paid. Denise has done way more than her share for the last year, I have to start picking up the slack."

Nathan wiped his hands down his face in frustration. He could see that there wasn't going to be any arguing with her, she was resolute and he knew from experience she took stubbornness to a new level , "Then go take orders or inventory the bar or something. Please, Mom. If you won't take care of yourself for you, do it for me. I need you to get all the way better. I'll take care of this. "

Deb started to argue, but his face was set and she recognized the set of his jaw as the one she saw in the mirror, "Okay, I'll let you take over, but you can't treat me like an invalid forever Nate. I'm feeling pretty good today and I have to get back to my regular life. "

Nathan nodded, knowing that was as much of a concession as he could've hoped for. He finished bussing all the tables and carried the heavy bin back to the kitchen area, "What are you thinking letting her back to work already? Bussing tables?" he headed for Mrs. Fields as soon as he set down his cargo. "She doesn't have the strength or energy for this."

"Good day to you too," she scolded, her eyes never leaving her stove. "Come on Nate, you know I don't control her. She owns half this place and she's an adult. If you want to stop her, go for it. Patrick and I already tried."

Nathan sighed, "Damn it," he muttered, "I'll just try and keep her from doing anything crazy. I wasn't planning on working until this afternoon, can you..."

She turned around and handed him a plate, causing him to raise his eyebrows. "Honey, I know you ain't got no food up there yet and you've been playing ball all morning. Go sit and eat. The tables can wait."

He mumbled thanks and kissed her on the cheek before heading to the other side of the main room. That part of the room was mostly empty during the day, only filling up as evening came and he could sit and think in the mostly quiet. Q was right, no matter what he feared, he needed to talk to Haley. He quickly ate and then pulled out his phone and brought up her number, sitting it down in front of him when his finger trembled when he tried to push send. He shook his head at himself, "I really have become a wuss. Suck it up Scott."

He finally pushed the button and waited as it rang several times before going to voicemail. Assuming she was screening her calls, or too busy to talk anyway, he didn't bother to leave a message and hung up. He didn't have time to worry about it just then, he'd have to try again later, he had work to do.

* * *

Haley stumbled into her sister as they walked down the street, "That guy was really weird... He looked kinda like Alf," she giggled as Taylor shook her head.

"If I'd known how fast you get drunk, I'd have never let you have that last drink," she helped Haley toward the car. "I think we'll have to wait for your present until tomorrow."

"No," Haley pouted, throwing her arms across her chest, "I want it now."

"Come on sis," Taylor tried to appease her, "I think tomorrow would be better. You need to have a clear head for where I was going to take you."

"You think I'm a baby too, don't you?" Haley leaned against the door, "Everyone thinks I have to be taken care of, no one believes I can handle anything. Helpless, perfect, little Haley...has to be sat on a shelf and treated like glass. I thought Nathan trusted me and could see past all that, but it was a lie and now he's gone..."

Taylor sighed. Her sister wasn't the easiest to argue with under normal circumstances, but this was even worse. They'd come out together to cheer her up and most of the time spent together shopping and just being sisters had been great. The last thing she wanted to do was give her another reminder of why she'd been upset in the first place, but she didn't want her to do something she'd regret either.

"He's not gone Hales," she tried to get her sister back out of this funk she'd fallen into again, "you'll work it out."

"I know it would've been stupid, but I really wanted to kiss him, at least once," Haley leaned back against the car. "I bet he's a really great kisser and he has this amazing body. I just want to..."

"Whoa," Taylor's eyes widened, "I think maybe you're even worse off than I thought. We can come back tomorrow morning if you still want..."

"I want to do it now," Haley pouted, looking up at the storefront they were next to. "I'm not drunk. I swear. I'm feeling much better and I just want to be treated like everyone else. Please don't..."

Taylor knew it was probably a bad idea, but they'd had such a good time together that she didn't want it to end either. If Haley wanted to be treated like an adult, she was up for it. She just hoped her sister didn't hate her for it later, "Okay Hales," she gave in. "Just try to remember that you insisted."

* * *

Nathan stretched his back again as he picked up his phone. After working out all morning the previous day and then bussing tables for the rest of it, he was a bit sore. It was amazing how fast you could lose strength when you didn't use certain muscles for a while. Despite all the working out he did while he was away, he was definitely feeling those neglected muscles at that moment. He tried to massage a knot in his shoulder and couldn't help but remember what Haley's hands had felt like when she'd worked out a kink in his neck for him. They were so small compared to his and so soft...He realized he'd closed his eyes and forced them open again. Remembering (and even worse, imagining) her hands on him wasn't going to do him any good. He needed to get the idea of them as a couple out of his mind and focus on regaining the strength of their friendship. Of course, that would be easier if she'd answered her phone any of the three times he'd called her the previous day before finally settling for leaving her a voice mail asking her to call him back.

He flipped the phone over in his hands and looked at the clock. He was supposed to meet Q in 20 minutes. He and a few other guys were playing in a weekend basketball tournament. That meant the rest of his day and the next one would be pretty busy so if he wanted to talk to her, he decided it would have to be then. Dialing her number, he was surprised when someone answered, even more surprised when it wasn't her.

"Hello? Is this Haley's phone?"

"Yeah, um...she's still sleeping and I don't want to wake her up. She's going to have a terrible hangover when she does," Taylor looked down at her still sleeping sister, glad she'd heard the phone ring as she'd walked past the room. "Is this Nathan?"

"Yeah, is she okay? She doesn't normally drink much..."

"Well, you can blame that on me. I took her out with her very own fake ID and we went a little overboard," she grinned as she remembered. "It was fun though. Do you need something?"

"No...No, I just wanted to talk to her and wish her a Happy Birthday," he felt suddenly awkward. "Did she get my gift?"

"Yeah, she loved it," Taylor walked out of the room. She didn't think it was a good idea for Nathan and Haley to get involved while they were living so far away, but it wasn't her decision and she was going to try and stay out of it. Despite her apprehensions, she figured the least she could do was to try and fix any damage she might have done to their friendship. "About the last time we talked...I um, I'm sorry if I made it seem like Haley was mad at you or something. She was upset, but I misunderstood and shouldn't have blamed you. She's been hoping to talk to you, in fact, she'll probably hit me for not waking her up to take this call."

Nathan smiled and released a breath he hadn't even been aware he'd been holding, relieved at the news and easily able to picture the tiny Haley taking on her older sister, "I'm sure. I'll be busy most of the day but if I can get away I'll try to call her later. Tell her Happy Birthday for me, could you?"

"Sure. You could text her," she threw out, "I mean, it's faster and easier than talking on the phone..."

Nathan nodded at the idea, "Maybe I will."

* * *

Haley groaned and closed her eyes at the bright light filtering into her room, "Rise and shine," her mother sing-songed. "Surprisingly, my two youngest daughters went out and you're the one with the hangover. I think maybe Hell froze over"

Haley shot her a murderous look that had her laughing, "Not in the mood birthday girl?"

"Ugh, I feel like death," Haley pulled her blanket over her head

"You look a bit like it too," her mother teased, coming over and sitting down on the side of the bed, "Maybe it's good thing Nathan only called. He might have run the other way if he saw you like this."

"What? Nathan called?" Haley sat up and looked around as if she could see the answer, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"First off, it was hours ago and you were completely dead to the world, and second, it was Taylor that answered, not me," her mother defended.

Haley let herself fall back against her pillows, moaning at the imagined conversation, "I'm going to kill her."

"Actually, she claims it was very cordial. He said he'd try to call back later if he can," she noticed Haley's smile, "so all your moping and whining has been for nothing."

Haley's face fell back into a frown, "Yes, I've noticed," her mother continued, "I've been wondering when you were going to talk to me about it. Considering your condition, I think maybe I've waited too long?"

"I wanted to be wild and crazy for once," Haley shrugged. "Sometimes I hate being the smart one, the safe, responsible one. I just wanted to do something I wouldn't usually. I wanted to be normal."

"Normal is vastly overrated," Lydia reached out and brushed back her daughter's hair. "Does this have something to do with Nathan?"

Haley leaned back against her backboard, pulling the stuffed bear Nathan had won for her against her chest, "I'm sick of all the guys thinking of me as a little sister or buddy," she explained. "The few that don't only want one other thing."

Lydia moved to sit alongside her daughter and put her arm around her shoulders, "You're so young sweetheart," she kissed the top of her head, "and I know you really liked Nathan, but maybe this is for the best. You've got so much of your life ahead of you and so many plans. How would it even work between you?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't stop me from wishing it could," Haley admitted, leaning against her mother's shoulder. "Why does it have to be so hard?"

"I don't know baby," her mother wiped away a tear as it fell from her eye, "but if you and Nathan are truly meant to be, it'll happen someday."

"You really think so?"

"I do," her mother kissed her forehead. "For now, enjoy being young and having a good friend. If the right time ever comes, you'll already have a solid basis to build on. If it doesn't, you have another wonderful friend."

Haley nodded and was about to say something when her phone vibrated. Grabbing it, a smile lit her face when she saw it was a text from Nathan.

 _Happy Birthday Hales. Hope you're feeling better._

She looked up at her mother who shook her head lightly at the smile that now greeted her, "Don't talk too long, your Dad will get grumpy if he has to wait for us."

 _Thx. I loved the gift._

* * *

Nathan looked up from his phone when Q yelled his name, quickly sending off his latest text before his friend reached him. "Look who I found."

"Tony Battle," Nathan reached out his hand to fist bump the newcomer. They hadn't seen each other since the three of them became friends at a basketball camp the previous summer, "A little far away from home aren't you?"

"Big Time!," Tony greeted him, "Playing with some friends from near here. Q tells me you spent the summer in my neck of the woods. How did you find my fair state?"

"Your state damn near ruined him," Quentin teased. "Comes back all moody and now he's too busy texting his friend," he put air quotations around the word, "to pay any attention to who we are playing next."

"Better hope it's not us," Tony looked back the court. "We're taking this thing."

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Quentin responded, "right Nate?"

"Huh?" Nathan's eyes flew back to where the two were posturing. "Right?"

Q looked over to see what had captured his friend's attention and saw his cell phone flashing a new text, "Tell Haley you aren't allowed to talk any more until our games are over for the day. You're turning into a damn girl."

Nathan rolled his eyes but did as suggested and returned a moment later, "Your friend's pretty good," he pointed out. "Where's he go?"

"Believe it or not, kid's 6-7, only going to be a sophomore. He goes to Independence with me," he pushed Nathan's arm. "We're going to be tough this year, maybe even challenge you guys for that National Title."

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Nathan shot back. "We're still pissed we blew it last year."

They continued to smack talk for the next few minutes before their team was called up to play the next game, "It was good to see you, I hope we see you in the finals," Nathan told his friend. "There are some scouts here."

"Yeah, I've talked to a couple of them," Tony nodded, his eyes moving over where Nathan had pointed, "As for the finals, count on it. It's been too long since I took you down."

"We'll see who does the victory celebration," Nathan laughed. "I promise not to embarrass you too bad."

* * *

"Okay guys, tie game, 6 seconds left," Quentin and Nathan had their arms around the shoulders of the other players in the huddle. "They're going to expect Nate to take the shot, he's been on fire."

"So he should take it," Justin, their tallest player pointed out.

"He's going to," Q rolled his eyes, "but we're going to set up a couple back picks to get him open first. Nate, you go through them along the baseline and up for an alley-oop. I'll put it up there for you."

They all agreed and headed out to the floor, prepared to run the play. As predicted, Tony guarded Nathan closely, trying to stop him from getting the ball. He took advantage of the close defense, running him through a serious of screens before going up for the planned shot. Quentin threw it up there and Nathan retrieved it, slamming it over the much taller player coming from the other direction in an attempt to block him. He tried to grab the rim as he lost his balance in the collision, but slipped and landed hard, an audible crack heard as he landed on his arm.

Tony and Quentin immediately rushed to his side as he rolled over, grabbing his wrist in pain. It was already starting to swell and there was little chance that it wasn't broken.

"I'm calling your mom," Q said, running over to the sidelines to grab his phone.

He returned to find a group of adults in charge of the tournament now on the court as well. One of them was a trainer and he was looking at the injury, "It's almost assuredly broken," he told them, "maybe in more than one place. We need to get x-rays as soon as we can. I'd suggest going to the nearest hospital. It's going to need to be set and cast at the least."

"Damn it," Nathan's eyes were closed as he fought the waves of pain radiating from his arm. "Don't call my mom Q. She's already stressed."

"She needs to know," Quentin argued. "You can't keep this from her." He dialed her number, ignoring the angry glare from his friend and passed on the news. He looked back, closing his eyes as he saw the swelling already noticeable. "She's going to meet us there."

Nathan cursed as they helped him to his feet and off the court. Why did his life just keep getting more complicated?

* * *

Haley and her family returned home from their special day out. Her father had surprised them with lunch and then horseback riding, something she'd always wanted, but never gotten the chance, to do. She checked her phone, surprised to see there still weren't any messages from Nathan. She knew he wasn't going to text her back until they were done, but she thought the games would be over by now. Deciding things were going too well between them to worry about it yet, she knocked on Taylor's door, "Thanks for how you've been the last couple of days Tay. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"You would've been fine, but I'm glad I could help," she pulled off her boots and fell back on her bed, tired from their excursion, "It's been nice."

Haley held out a wet rag and pulled up the back of her shirt, "thanks for helping with this too."

"I still can't believe my little Haley got a tattoo," Taylor shook her head as she sat up, "pretty soon, you'll tell me you're having sex."

"That's a big no on that one," Haley's eyes got wide, "but it felt good to be a little rebellious. I've tried several new things lately and I think I like being a little more adventurous."

"I'm glad you're good with it, but I still don't get why you got a number," she took the rag and made sure the area was clean before applying ointment. "There were so many cooler things you could've done."

Haley smiled softly, using the excuse she had ready for exactly that question, "The fortune teller Brooke took me to told me 23 was my special number and would have a big impact on my life. I thought I'd roll with it. Maybe it'll be my good luck charm."

"Whatever you say Hales," Taylor's eyebrows rose in surprise. Haley was full of surprises lately, hot boys, singing in a bar, tattoos, now fortune tellers. Maybe she should hang around for awhile and see what her little sister got up to next. It was the first time in a long time home seemed more interesting than leaving.

* * *

After 2 hours at the hospital, Nathan had been x-rayed, splinted, and was now waiting to be released. "Haley has texted a couple of times," his mother said, sitting down next to him. "Do you want me to text her back? I could tell her what's going on."

He read the texts his mom showed him, the growing concern evident, "just tell her we won and I'll talk to her tomorrow."

"Are you sure honey?" she looked at him warily. He'd been angry and surly ever since she arrived there and she had hoped maybe talking to Haley would help soothe him. "You could call her."

"No."

"Don't you want her to know what happened?" Deb asked in surprise.

Nathan shook his head, "she worries too much and there's nothing she can do. Besides, she leaves early in the morning for camp and she needs her sleep." He looked down at his hand, carefully immobilized. Q had pointed out that he was lucky it was his left arm, but he didn't feel lucky at all. He felt like one of those cartoon characters that had a rain cloud that followed them around everywhere, storming only on them.

"Your dad's coming," Deb reached for his free hand. "I told him he didn't need to, but he is anyway."

Nathan nodded in acceptance, not sure how he felt about that revelation. It was good to know that he cared enough to drive all that way, even though he couldn't really do anything to help. On the other hand, he still wasn't totally comfortable with him yet and in his mood, they were likely to end up at odds again. He settled for an "okay."

Deb was about to question him further when a nurse came bustling in, "Alright Mr. Scott. Let's go through what you need to know about your surgery tomorrow and then you can get out of here ."

It wasn't exactly the way he wanted to avoid his mother's inquisition, but at that moment, he figured he'd take it. Anything to get the miserable evening over with. Who knew what else could go wrong?

* * *

Dan arrived at the apartment the next morning tired from the long drive, but looking forward to seeing his son. He wished it had been under better circumstances, but he was determined to use every opportunity to show Nathan he really cared.

"Hi," Deb answered the door awkwardly, "He's not exactly pleasant after the rough night, but I think he's ready to go."

Dan nodded, "Do you mind if I talk to him for a few minutes?"

Deb waved him into the living room, "I'll wait downstairs."

He turned the corner and found Nathan sitting on the chair, staring off into space. His arm was in a sling and he looked like he'd hardly slept. "Hey," he made his entrance known, "how are you?"

"Been better," Nathan answered, his eyes briefly moving to meet his before going back to their unknown focus. "I've been trying some of the breathing exercises they taught us to help control our emotions. They're supposed to help with pain too."

"Helping any?"

"Not really," he admitted, "but it's helping me not put my other hand through a wall so I guess there's that."

Dan chuckled, glad that as down as he was he could still find a glimmer of humor. "How did it happen? Your mom just said you were playing ball."

"I didn't do anything reckless or stupid if that's what you're worried about," Nathan's eyes narrowed, remembering how the man before him had gone off about being careless once before, "It was just a freak thing."

Dan held up his hands, "I didn't say anything. Just wondered."

Nathan sighed, trying not to let his frustration ruin this moment. His father had driven half the night to be there for him, he needed to meet him half-way. "I caught a pass and dunked it for the game winner, actually, it was the tournament winner, but the defender and I collided and I lost my balance. I tried to grab the rim to stop from falling, but my hand slid off and I landed pretty bad. I think it was pretty obvious to everyone it was broken."

Dan nodded, able to picture the scene pretty clearly, "Congrats on the win at least. Did they give you a timetable for recovery?"

Nathan explained what the doctors had told him so far, "So I should be ready at or near the start of the season, it's more of pain in the ass than anything."

"That's good," Dan knew how much missing part of the season would hurt him, "I broke the same bone when I was 13 falling off my bike. My dad tore into me for months because I had to miss part of the season." He turned his arm over and showed the small scar, "I have a little plate and 2 screws . Pretty similar to what you'll have."

Nathan wasn't sure what to do with that information, but it was nice to learn more about the man who had fathered him. "How bad was it?"

"It'll hurt for a while, even after they take the cast off," Dan admitted, "but eventually it'll be good as new. It's lucky it was your left arm. You can still shoot and stuff once you get the cast. It'll help you not get as rusty."

Nathan agreed, able to appreciate the sentiment a little more now than he had the night before. "I guess that's true. I'm a little worried about how much it's going to cost though. I know things have been tight, my mom mentioned it when I was trying to convince her to take it easy, but I'm not sure how much the insurance will pay. If I need to, would you be mad if I sold the car?"

Dan was taken aback. He knew how much Nathan loved his car, so he was surprised that the thought would even cross his mind. "You don't have to do that," he assured him, "I can pay whatever bills there are from this."

"I'm not asking for a handout," Nathan countered. "I can take care of myself."

"It's not a handout," Dan stood up and moved to stand in front of him, "For all the mess our relationship has been so far, I'm your father and that's what fathers do. We take care of our kids and that includes paying for things like hospital bills. I know your mom wouldn't take any back child-support or anything, but I'll make sure she lets me handle this. It's the least I can do."

Nathan nodded in acceptance, glad to at least have that weight off his shoulders. He stood and Dan grabbed his things for him before they headed for the car. Dan helped him get settled in the passenger seat and made sure his mother was good before going around to his own side to drive them to the hospital. It was weird, he thought as he looked over at the man next to him, not sure what exactly caused it, but it was the first time Dan had really felt like his dad.


	23. Chapter 23

23

Nathan tossed and turned in bed, trying to get comfortable with the cast on his arm. Despite giving in and taking one of the pain pills he'd been prescribed, he was still having trouble with finding any way to lay that didn't make his arm throb. He fluffed his pillow again and couldn't help but wonder if it might have been worth the pain he was experiencing to have a day with both of his parents for the first time. It had been both strange and yet somehow fulfilling to experience that little slice of what most people took for granted. They'd done a lot of talking in that hospital room and he felt like he finally had a little bit of a grasp on who his father really was. His mother had been a great buffer and facilitator for the group and he was extremely grateful she had been able to put her own discomfort aside to do that for them.

After Nathan was discharged in the early evening, Dan and taken them out for dinner at restaurant he knew his mom never would have chosen on her own. She was too careful with their money, too worried about providing for them, to spend frivolously on something like an expensive dinner. She'd enjoyed it though and it was great for Nathan to see her relaxed and enjoying herself. He had never seen her do enough of that, always worried about something, usually him, always working hard. Patrick tried to do things like that for her, but she was resistant, always fearing leading him on or feeling like she would be in his debt. In fact, if she knew half the ways he'd helped without her knowledge, she'd probably pitch a fit.

He had finally started to doze off when his phone rang. Barely opening his eyes he reached for it and pushed the talk button. Before he even realized who it was on the phone, a voice was yelling in his ear. "What the hell were you thinking? You needed surgery and didn't even tell me? You texted everything was fine! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Sorry?" Nathan mumbled. He knew Haley would probably be upset he hadn't told her, but he'd expected to at least be able to tell her himself when she got back from camp. "How did you find out?"

"I'm guessing you forgot that one of my fellow cheerleaders is dating your brother?" Haley reminded him.

Nathan sat up and wiped his face, he had forgotten that. In fact, he hadn't even considered Luke knowing at all. Except for Haley, that world seemed a million miles away. "I didn't want you to worry."

"How do you think I feel now?" she shot back, her voice softening as her anger abated, "I would've come."

"I know," Nathan told her, leaning back against his headboard. "That's why I didn't tell you. You had this cheerleading thing and there wasn't anything you could've done anyway. "

"I could've held your hand," she argued.

"Not so easy to do right now," Nathan teased.

"Not the injured one you brat," Haley rolled her eyes. "You're impossible. I could've missed the camp, it wasn't that important."

"You know you would've upset that you had to let Brooke down," he smiled at her response. As hard as it was to believe and as much as she still pretended to be deciding, she was probably going to join the squad. That only worked if she went to camp. Brooke would've been really disappointed if she'd bailed on her.

"Maybe, but I still would've been there if you asked," she sat down and looked across the room, grateful that Brooke still hadn't returned. She almost had her friend convinced she was over her crush and getting back to normal. Finding her on the phone with tears in her eyes would reset all that hard work.

"I know. It's okay Hales... I'm okay. I have to baby it for a while and then do some physical therapy, but I'll be fine. My mom is going a little overboard taking care of me, but it's...nice. I like having her here to fuss, even if I have to remind her I'm not 6 anymore. Dan was pretty great too actually. I think this is the most hopeful I've ever been that we can have a real dad/son thing."

"Wow," Haley breathed, laying back flat on top of the blankets on her bed. "That's..."

"Weird?" he laughed lightly.

"I was going to say amazing," she countered, "but I guess weird works. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," Nathan yawned through the word, "Sorry. My mom badgered me into taking one of the pain pills and it's starting to kick in."

"No problem, sorry I called so late. Just promise me you won't do something like this again," she looked up at the ceiling. "We're best friends, aren't we?"

"Sure...of course we are," Nathan managed to keep his voice even. As much as he was grateful for that and knew anything more was impossible, it still hurt to say.

"Well, if it's going to stay that way, we can't keep things from each other," she sighed softly. "I'm a big girl, you don't need to protect me."

Nathan hadn't even thought about how she would respond to that aspect of it, knowing she hated feeling like people didn't trust her to take care of herself. "I promise, next time I need surgery, I'll call you immediately."

"I'm serious Nathan," she shook her head, wishing he could see her eyes roll. "You've become so important to me so fast and I don't want to lose what we have. I have to know that you'll just be a phone call away when someone makes fun of me and I need cheering up, or when Brooke ditches me for Julian and I'm feeling depressed, or when Luke is a dumbass and I need someone to commiserate with. "

Nathan chuckled at her ramble, but understood the seriousness of her request. She didn't like to ask for help or even admit she needed people.

"Or when I have a really big decision to make and I need someone to listen and promise me it'll be okay," she almost whispered. "I have Luke, but no offense to him, you're better at it. I don't know how it happened, but I've come to depend on you."

His heart felt like it was in his throat at her words, "I will be there anytime you need me, I swear. I promised you, didn't I?"

"Yeah," she felt calmer at his words, "I guess you did. I should probably let you get some rest. Oh, I'm sorry about the yelling. When I heard you were hurt..." she took a deep breath, not wanting to tell him how her heart had felt like it stopped or that she couldn't breathe. When Peyton had first said he'd been taken to the ER and Dan was heading there for surgery, she'd almost lost it. Even after she'd heard more details and knew he was going to be fine, she'd been shaking. "I'm just really glad you're okay," she rolled over and laid her head on her pillow. "I can't stand the idea of something happening to you."

"Same here," he said, rolling over to his right side and managing to settle as well as he figured was possible. "Good Night Hales."

"Night Nathan."

* * *

"OMG," Brooke squealed as she walked by Haley's bed, her harsh tone completely opposite of the tiny steps she'd been taking a moment earlier in an effort to let her friend sleep, "Is that what I think it is?"

Haley's eyes groggily cracked open, looking over at the clock that read 2:32 am. "What are you screaming about it the middle of the night?"

Brooke took another step and pointed to Haley's back where her shirt had ridden up when she'd fallen asleep on top of the comforter. "Is it real?"

Haley closed her eyes and sighed, not wanting to deal with this conversation now. She was having a really good dream where she and Nathan were making out on one of the deck chairs like they'd sat on at his going away party. In fact, his shirt was missing and his hands were... "Yes," she admitted, pulling her shirt down to hide the topic of their middle of the night conversation. She rubbed her eyes and moved to get under the covers so she could go back to sleep. "Taylor and I got it for my birthday." She rolled onto her side facing away from her friend, hoping that would end the conversation, but Brooke was too intrigued and seemingly wide awake to let it go.

"Why 23?" Her voice had Haley opening her eyes again. Obviously, she wasn't going to get back to her dreams until she gave in, so she rushed through the rehearsed spiel about the fortune teller. "I hope it'll be good luck."

"Isn't that Nathan's number?"

"How would I know?" Haley hedged, surprised the other girl knew. "I've never seen him play for real."

Brooke's eyes narrowed, "He wore his sweatshirt several times with the number on the back."

"Hmmm, I guess I never paid attention. You know me and sports," Haley waved off the suggestion, "Lucas always despairs that I don't notice details like that. I'm surprised you did."

"Oh come on girl," Brooke shook her head in disbelief, "that boy is way hot. There's no way I wasn't looking. Do you think maybe that's what Madame Zelda meant by the number? Was it about Nathan?"

Haley had wondered the same thing for months, but even though his friendship had changed her life, it didn't seem to be the magical good luck charm she'd been hoping for. She'd abandoned that belief and hoped that one day the reason would become clear. Of course, there was also the chance that the woman had been the quack she'd originally accused her of being. "I doubt it. If it was, she should've been a little clearer."

"Did you talk to him? Is he okay? I should've asked that first I guess, but the tattoo threw me for a loop," Brooke shook her head as if to clear it. "You keep surprising me lately girl. I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"Well, I have hung around you the last few years. Some of your craziness was bound to wear off on me," Haley teased, stifling a yawn behind her hand. "On the other hand, I still have enough common sense left to prefer sleeping in the middle of the night. Especially when we have to be all peppy in another... less than 5 hours."

Brooke nodded and changed quickly before climbing into her bed, "I'm really glad you came TG. I would've been okay without you, but it's so much better with you."

"Yeah," Haley thought back to what Nathan said about it being important to Brooke and knew he'd been right in his reasoning, if not in his actual decision, "I'm glad I could be here for you."

* * *

Nathan carried his last bag into his room, annoyed that he had to carry one at a time while Q carried both of their boxes. He knew his friend would never let him live this down and it felt like it was taking forever to set up everything up when he had to do it with one hand.

"What do you think about having your own room this year?" Deb asked as she helped him unpack some of his clothes and put them away.

Nathan shrugged, not sure how he felt about it. For the last three years he had shared a room with Q, but now that they were seniors, they had moved into the smaller dorm and had the opportunity for single rooms. It was going to be a little strange, but with their rooms side by side it would be the best of both worlds. They could see each other anytime they wanted, but with privacy as well. "I think it'll work out great. I won't have to clean his hair out of the sink every day."

"Hey," Q said as he walked into the room, "Some of us don't still have baby faces and have to shave. I got one of your boxes by mistake." He walked over and set it down on the bed. "I have to get back before my mom puts things where I'll never find them."

"I'm really glad you two have each other," she told him. "It's so important to have people you can count on, that you can always trust to be there for you."

"I guess I'm pretty lucky then," he agreed as he emptied another box, frustrated again at his lack of one hand coordination. He turned around and saw that his mother was opening another box, "You don't need to do that. I'll get to it."

"I like helping," she told him. "I look around and my little boy is all grown up and doesn't need me anymore. I guess that's a good thing, considering how things have been, but it's hard to let go. I guess that's why I've been smothering you a bit lately. It was the first time in a while I felt like you needed me and I could actually be there for you."

"You've always been there when I needed you," he told her, abandoning the toiletries he'd been working on and coming over to sit next to her on the bed. "And you haven't smothered me, I've enjoyed the time we've been able to spend together."

"But you shouldn't," she stood up. "I haven't always been the best mom." Nathan tried to argue, but she waved him off. "I know I've tried, but there just never seemed to be enough time or money and I wanted so much for you. I look back now and I wonder though if I had it all wrong. If I'd just let go of my pride I could've gone back to my parents and I would've been able to spend so much more time with you. I could've been at all your games and always helped you with your homework. I never would've missed so much that you'd enjoy fussing that would drive most boys your age crazy."

"You did the best you could mom. If you'd gone back to them, they would've run all over you and controlled both of our lives," Nathan hated that she still felt the pain of the "What if?" so strongly. "It may not have been easy and I know you had to sacrifice a lot, but after meeting some of them and talking to Cooper, I'm sure you did the right thing."

Deb nodded, tears clogging her throat and turned back to the box, pulling out a picture strip of Nathan and Haley. "When was this taken?"

Nathan looked over at the paper in her hand, "At the carnival a couple months ago. She insisted on the goofy faces. I think I look dumb, but she says I'm usually too serious and loved the way they came out. She has another one that's even worse."

Deb examined each picture, noticing that while Nathan was clearly humoring the girl in his poses, his eyes were lit up with happiness she'd rarely seen on his face. "Have you talked to her much?" she asked, "other than texting?"

"A couple of times," he went back to working. "We've both been really busy."

"She seemed really special. I wish I'd gotten to spend more time with her," Deb prodded a little, not sure what to think from his reaction. "It's a shame you live so far away from each other."

"It won't be easy, but we'll be able to stay friends," he assured her. "It'll get easier once we get into our routines and the rules here lighten up a bit. Until then, we'll probably be so busy anyway we won't have time to worry about it."

Deb nodded in agreement, but didn't think it would be nearly as easy as he was hoping. "It'll take effort. Don't let it go Nathan. She's too good for you to let her slip out of your life."

"I know," Nathan looked back at her. "She's pretty amazing."

"But just a friend?" she saw Nathan's shoulders tense, but he made no other sign that her statement affected him.

"What else would we be?" he asked her. "We don't even live in the same state? Even thinking about anything else would be pointless."

Deb sighed, knowing that was all he was going to give her. She'd have to hope he took her advice. She looked at the clock and knew she needed to get Denise and head back. They definitely couldn't afford for both of them to be away the entire day. "I need to get going," she took a couple of steps toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist, tears slipping from her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder. It seemed like it was just days earlier that she'd been bouncing him on her knee and now she felt so small next to him.

She pulled away and Nathan caught the tears in her eyes, "It's okay mom. I know you worry, but I'm good here."

"I know," she told him, "you're all grown up. I'm going to miss you, but I want you to know spending so much time together these last couple of weeks has been everything to me. You've brought so much to my life Nate and I'm so proud of you. No matter what happens, I want you to know that. You've made me so happy."

"Nothing is going to happen to you mom," Nathan stepped closer and wiped away her tears. " I mean, you're okay, right?"

"I'm fine," she nodded, waving him off, "just feeling sad at the idea my baby doesn't need me anymore. I think every mother goes through this at some point."

Nathan narrowed his eyes, but decided to let it go, "I'll always need you mom."

"I know," she stepped back out of his reach and picked up her purse, "take care of yourself and make an effort with your father, okay? As much as I love you and enjoy your calls, don't use all your phone time checking up on me."

Nathan nodded, knowing that he'd do his best, but his first call would always be home. Things were still too precarious for him to take for granted. "I'll try."

"I love you Nathan," she came back and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't ever forget that."

* * *

"Why is it that the first day of Senior year feels so much like every other year?" Brooke asked Haley as they walked into the school building for the first time since the previous spring. "I thought it would be all exciting, but it's just the same thing."

"We get better lockers and parking spots at least," Haley pointed out as they headed toward the senior lockers. "We won't have to carry our books around all day because they're way out in Timbuktu this year."

"Yeah, but they'll still be assigned by alphabetical order and I won't be by any of my friends...again," she complained. Haley smiled at the normalness of their conversation, one they had every year. "It'll be fine. You probably won't be far from Julian at least."

"Unless the order goes around a corner like it did last year. You were closer to him than I was," she whined, her tone immediately changing as she felt familiar arms wrap around her waist from behind. "Hey."

"Hey baby," he grinned, kissing her neck. "Want to walk to class with me?"

Brooke looked over at Haley. They'd spent a lot of time together at camp and talked about how Haley felt left out sometimes when Brooke and Lucas got lost in their significant others.

"I'm going to get out of here," Haley nodded slightly, acknowledging that it was okay, "I know how this goes and I don't need to see it. I want to get my schedule from the tutor center anyway."

"You already have a tutoring schedule?" Julian asked, looking up, "We haven't even started classes."

"Not a full one, but some of my students from last year want to start right away and there are a couple new students too. It's a lot easier if they don't wait until they get behind and have to play catch up. Besides, I can always use the money," she told them as the first bell rang, telling them 10 minutes until classes started. "I have to get moving or I'll be late for AP Physics."

She stopped at her locker, which unfortunately was right across the hall from Rachel of all people and sighed, realizing how long of a year it was shaping up to be. She hurried to get her things without being noticed, realizing she may end up not going to her locker much this year either. Her first thought as she walked away was to text Nathan about the unfairness of being stuck near the crazy redhead, but quickly remembered he wouldn't be allowed to use his phone at all until the weekend. She tried to tell herself that she'd made it through 3 years of high school with basically only Lucas for support, but after a summer spent seeing each other almost every day and now texting several times a day since he left, it would be hard to get used to him being unreachable.

She used her key to get into the locked room and walked over to the desk to pick up her schedule, noting as she did that all but one of her students this year were athletes. She wasn't sure what made them ask for her, but she wished that at least once she got some of the students that really cared and not just the ones trying to stay eligible to play sports. The one name that wasn't an athlete she didn't recognize, but was a girl, the first one she'd had on her roster since Sophomore year. At least she'd have one slot where she didn't have to worry about the student coming in smelling like they just rolled around in sweat.

The five minute bell rang and she looked up, realizing she'd better get going or she'd be late to class. She'd spend enough time in the tutor center, she had other places to be at the moment.

* * *

"You wanted to see me Coach?" Nathan asked, peeking his head in the open door.

"Come on in Nate," the man said, gesturing toward the chair in front of his desk. "How's the hand?"

"A little sore," Nathan was honest with him, "but I elevate it as much as I can and that helps keep the swelling down."

"Good, good," the man leaned back in his seat, "Doctors give you a time frame?"

"They're taking the cast off end of next week," Nathan gave him the run down, "if x-rays look good, they'll downgrade me to a splint and let me start physical therapy. I should be back on the court by second week of October."

"I don't have to remind you that we start playing the week before that," he sighed. "Any chances that date gets bumped up?"

"Not much," Nathan admitted, "but I'll do everything I can to get back as sooner."

"I know you will," he agreed, "but I have to warn you. Russell has worked really hard over the summer and he's improved a great deal. If you're not back in time, he'll be starting in your place and if he plays as well as he did at camp this summer, I may not be able to give you your spot back."

Nathan opened his mouth and closed it again, not sure how to respond as the coach continued, "I hope it doesn't come to that, but after that debacle in the final game last year, there's extra pressure this year. I'll still have plenty of playing time for you, but I can't promise your starting spot."

"What if I can be back by the first game?" Nathan subconsciously flexed the fingers of his injured hand at the idea. He'd been a starter since his sophomore year and had no desire to be demoted back to the bench as a Senior.

"Obviously it'll be easier if he never takes your spot in the first place," he wiped his hand down his face. "I'm not supposed to play favorites kid, but you're one of mine. You're crazy talented and you've busted your ass for me from day one, but this school is about winning and my job is on the line. Russell is 6-5 and can jump through the roof. I may not have any choice but to start him."

Nathan stood, "Thanks for the heads up," he forced out. "I'll do everything I can to be ready for the start of the season."

"Nathan," he called him as he reached for the door handle, "You might want to work on your ball handling while you're off. If I can't stop Russell from earning the two guard slot, I might be in need of an upgrade at Point guard."

Nathan tilted his head in surprise, "Point Guard?"

"I know it's not something you've ever done, but I think you could be pretty damn good at it and it would allow me to start both of you which I think would benefit the team. Keep it in mind. I'll see you when practice starts in a couple weeks and you can let me know what you think."

"I will," Nathan agreed, his head spinning at the idea of changing positions, "and I'll do my best to be ready."

"I know this wasn't what you wanted to hear, but don't push yourself too hard," the coach warned. "You've already got your scholarship. I know how much you want to win, but don't do anything to make the injury worse and risk that."

"I won't let you down," Nathan promised before turning and heading for the door. "I'll just have to find a way back sooner than expected."


	24. Chapter 24

Ch 24

"I don't think that's what the doc had in mind for taking it easy," Quentin said as he walked into the gym. "Where's the brace?"

"I can't play with it on, it's too stiff," Nathan gestured off to the side where he'd tossed the offending contraption before he went back to dribbling one ball with each hand. "I have to get the movement back in it."

"It's supposed to be stiff so you don't move it too much, you idiot," Quentin walked over and picked it up, bringing it over to him. "You're going to hurt yourself again and then where will we be?"

"The same place you'll probably be anyway, starting alongside Russell Andrews," Nathan ignored his friend and continued dribbling, keeping both hands going as he moved backward and forward on the court, working up a serious sweat in the heat of the unairconditioned gym. "Getting back early is my only hope of keeping my spot."

"Maybe moving to the point isn't such a bad idea," Q threw out, surprising his friend and causing the balls to collide and go shooting across the floor in opposite directions.

"What?"

"I know you don't want to hear this, but you probably aren't going to grow much more and that's the best position for you to play if you want to go pro someday. Why not start learning it now?"

He looked over at his friend who had always been at eye level with him but now had him beat by a couple of inches and frowned, wiping the sweat off his face with his shirt. "Because it feels like I'm letting him win if I do. He'll throw it in my face every chance he gets too, I know it," Nathan shook his head at the thought, "I hate that kid."

"Maybe instead of worrying about what he's going to say, you should be doing what you always do and put the team first," Quentin reasoned. "You know a backcourt of you and Russell is way better than one with you and Brandon."

"That's easy for you to say, you get to keep your position," Nathan shot back, finally taking the brace and strapping it on, noting that his wrist was swollen and would need iced, again.

"I don't like the kid either, but he puts us in the best position to win," Q went over and picked up one of the stray balls and threw it up, the ball making the soft swish sound of a perfect shot as it went through the net. "I know you're a better player , and way better teammate than he is, but you moving to the point will make all of us better. Of course, that's all based on you not ending up in a cast again."

Nathan narrowed his eyes, "I'll be fine. If I was doing half of what I want to be doing, then maybe there would be problems."

"Look Nate, I know you're angry, but you need to take care of yourself. Whatever happens with the starting lineup, you're our leader. We'll need you out there," Quentin tried to get his friend so see reason. It wasn't worth taking a chance of reinjuring himself.

"I'm not angry," Nathan told him, "frustrated yes, determined hell yes, but not angry."

"So something else is bothering you? You were pretty grumpy at lunch too," Quentin asked, figuring he already knew the answer. Ever since Nathan returned from Tree Hill, a bad mood usually had something to do with Haley, "Let me guess, you haven't gotten to be all mushy with your supposedly "not your-girlfriend" in days and you're feeling withdrawls."

"We aren't mushy," Nathan rolled his eyes, "and things are fine with her, or I'm assuming they are since we haven't talked all week. Has your mom said anything about money problems or anything like that?"

"Not that I know of, why?" Quentin wondered where the odd question came from. Of course money had always been tight, but they'd always been able to pay their bills. "Something going on?"

"My mom's been pretty careful about saying anything in front of me, but I heard her for a few minutes the other day asking for an extension to make payments on a mortgage. The only one I know about is the Pub."

Quentin's brow furrowed as he tried to think if his mom had said anything that even hinted at problems and came up blank. "I haven't been home like you have Mr."I got a special pass to see my doctor", but it's probably nothing major. You know how things are, she probably just forgot to put the check in the mail or something."

"Yeah, maybe," Nathan said, but he suspected it was something much more serious. His mom had tried to hide them, but he'd seen the stack of bills that came in the mail the last time he was home and he doubted any of them were small. With her unable to work, he wondered if the Pub could have brought in enough money to pay them. Good thing they had insurance or they'd likely be astronomical.

"If they need money you could always ask your dad," Quentin knew Nathan wouldn't like the idea, but thought it was important to note. "If it's bad he'd probably help."

"I'd rather not, but I guess if it's bad enough I could," Nathan cringed at the idea. He wished he had access to the money his grandfather had left him. The more he'd thought about it, the more he leaned toward accepting it. He didn't need or even want all of it and figured he'd give most of it to charity, but it sure would be nice to offer his mom a big fat check so she didn't have to worry about stuff like that anymore. Too bad he couldn't touch it yet. He made a mental note to have Patrick take a look at the papers he'd brought home and give him the details. He'd glanced through them but the legalize had made his eyes roll back in his head by the end of the first page. Other than knowing that the will would have to go through probate, which would likely take at least 6 months, he had no idea when the money would become available.

"You ready to go get something to eat now? If I miss dinner because of you, I'm coming over and stealing some of the cookies your mom sent back with you," Q threatened.

Nathan looked back at his friend, "Not going to happen."

"Why, you hide them again? Your room ain't that big," he pointed out. "I'll find them."

"Good luck with that, I already ate them," Nathan smiled as he remembered the taste. His mom had always made the best oatmeal raisin cookies.

"All of them?" Q's eyebrows rose in surprise. She'd sent at least 2 dozen.

Nathan nodded, licking his lips, "Every...single...one."

* * *

"Haley, earth to Tutor Girl" Brooke waved her hands in front of the blonde's face to get her attention. "Where'd you go?"

"Huh?" Haley looked back to find everyone at the lunch table staring at her and realized she'd drifted off again. "Sorry, just trying to figure some things out. What did I miss?"

"We were talking about Homecoming. The dance is three weeks away and you don't have a date," Brooke caught her up. Everyone was excited about the dance, the first major social event of their Senior Year.

Haley looked around and everyone was nodding and whispering to each other, as if her lack of date was a social crisis they were all planning to solve. She sighed, knowing she was about to get hit with a list of prospective dates. She wanted to just drown them all out again, but figured knowing Brooke, there would be questions to answer at the end. Why did they all worry about her having a date anyway? Things were so easy for them with their steady boyfriend/girlfriend relationships. Brooke had Julian. Lucas had Peyton. Even Skills was now dating Bevin. Then there was poor little Haley, all by her lonesome. Even Jake had gone on a few dates with a girl from Wilmington and was planning on bringing her to the event.

"I don't really want to go," Haley admitted at the end of her friend's speech. "I already promised Karen I would work."

"Oh no, that's not going to happen," Brooke told her, "there's no way you're missing me being crowned queen to work. We're Seniors Hales, this is our last one and we all need to go."

"Then I'll go by myself," Haley shrugged, "it's not a big deal."

"So you can sit in the corner by yourself all night? Come on Hales, please? I want this night to be really special and it won't be if you aren't there with us. Right guys?"

They all nodded in agreement and Haley felt stuck. She really didn't want to go, dances weren't her thing, but even more so, she didn't want to go on some date with a random guy she barely knew. She really wished Nathan wasn't 5 hours away. She was pretty sure she could've convinced him to bail her out of this if he were here, if he didn't have his own hot date of course. The thought made her already down spirits sink.

"I said I would, I just don't want a date with a virtual stranger. It's awkward and uncomfortable and not at all the way I would define special and fun. If I have to go, I should at least be able to enjoy it," Haley sighed, thinking of the money she'd have to spend on a dress that would come out of her college fund. Maybe she could pick up a couple more hours at the cafe over the weekend to cover it.

"I figured you would say that, so we think you should go with Ethan. He's cute and a great dancer. Plus, you already know him pretty well from tutoring and he's popular so we know it wouldn't be a date just to be cool," Brooke continued. "He also looks good in a suit and..."

"He's as dumb as a box of rocks," Haley shook her head. "Wow, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It was really mean and I..."

The entire group laughed as she covered her face, feeling bad for what she'd said. "I just meant I don't find him intellectually stimulating."

"We aren't picking out a husband Hales, just a date for one night," Lucas tried his hand at convincing her. "You get along with him, right? I mean, you aren't repulsed or anything?"

"What about Mouth? We could go together," Haley tried. She wasn't sure why, but Ethan gave her an uneasy feeling, one she'd learned to heed after what happened with Alex. She didn't want to say anything else bad about the guy, but she didn't want to go out with him either.

"Mouth is taking Shelly," Brooke nixed that idea, "Come on, it's just one night. I know he intends to ask you anyway, you just need to say yes."

"Ugh, I'll think about it," _and then say_ _no_ Haley mentally added. She didn't know why he made her uncomfortable and it would probably be fine in a group even if there was something to be worried about, but she didn't want to do it. She looked at her watch, glad for the excuse to escape. "I have to meet someone for tutoring."

"Ethan?"

"No, the new Junior Brittany," Haley scooped up her uneaten lunch and put it back in her backpack. She'd eat a snack later or something.

"Brittany Stevens? I've seen her. She's hot," Julian said, receiving a smack from his girlfriend, "of course not as hot as you," he tried to appease her, eventually resorting to just kissing her until she quit frowning.

Haley shook her head. She should be used to their PDA by now, and it didn't bother her the way it used to, but it did make her long for someone to look at her the way they looked at each other. Maybe someday she'd find that, years from now when her life wasn't so crazy and she felt like she had time to breathe. She thought about the years of studying and working ahead of her and realized that might not be until she was 30.

She looked back at Lucas who was asking why the girl needed tutoring when she'd seemed like a good student, "I don't think I'll be tutoring her for long. She's plenty smart, but her family moves a lot and she got a little behind, just like I am right now. I'll see you guys later."

"Do you think we convinced her?" Lucas asked as they all watched her walk away. "Will she give him a chance?"

"No way," Peyton chimed in. "Did you see her face? Maybe this is a bad idea anyway. If she doesn't want to go, we should let her stay home."

"You mean go to work?" Brooke argued, "That's all she ever does anymore. She's always working, or studying, or tutoring and I've had enough. She's going to come with us and have fun whether she likes it or not."

* * *

Haley exited the tutoring center immediately after her last session, making sure she didn't end up in there alone again. The day before, Ethan had come in after football practice with the excuse of asking her a question about his homework. Everyone else filed out, leaving her in an uncomfortable position with the sweaty athlete. She'd managed to keep the conversation on their homework and dodge any attempt he made to move it toward Homecoming, but she didn't think she could put him off much longer and her friends would be disappointed if she said no without at least having a backup plan.

She was locking the door behind her when she sensed someone come up behind her. She whirled around just as the person reached for her shoulder, bumping her face into their hand. "What are you doing here Luke?" She caught her breath before the scream she'd felt welling up in her throat escaped. "I thought you left already."

"I had a meeting with Whitey and saw you were still here. Why so jumpy?"

"You know, an unlit hallway, a lone teenage girl, no one around to hear if they cry for help," Haley gestured around her. "It's the stuff horror movies are made of."

"Especially after what happened to you at the party," Lucas closed his eyes, "I'm so stupid. Of course you were scared. You shouldn't be here alone like this."

Haley fought to keep herself from rolling her eyes. Her friend had gone from completely oblivious to overprotective in the blink of an eye. It would be really nice if he could find some sort of sane middle ground and stay there. "I've only been alone for a couple of minutes. Tim just left."

"He should've waited for you to walk you out," Lucas put his hands on his hips, "I'll have a talk with him."

"It's fine, I told him to go," she explained. "Really, if there was a psycho killer, do you really think he'd be much help anyway?"

Lucas chuckled at the idea, "probably not, but maybe you could run while they gutted him?"

Haley shook her head at the mental image. Truth was, she had been a little scared, but she wasn't sure why. She'd been here like this dozens of times over the years and never felt that frisson of fear before. She really did need a good night's sleep, she decided. One more night of tossing and turning would probably have her jumping at her own shadow. "Don't make fun of him. He's trying really hard with his studies and he's a nice guy. I don't know what he saw in Rachel, but I feel bad for how she treated him."

"He should've known better," Lucas told her, "We all tried to tell him."

Haley knew that was true, but after tutoring the guy for the last couple of weeks she had grown a bit of a soft spot for him. He wasn't just the goofy guy that had been part of their crowd, if not their smaller circle, but he had become a sort of friend. In fact, if it wasn't for the whole Rachel thing she might have considered him as a possible date for the dance. She was sure he'd be fun, but the last thing she wanted to do was lead him on like the redhead had. She considered making sure he knew it was only as friends, but was afraid he'd think it was a pity date.

"So, how did it go with Whitey?" Haley moved to change the subject, "Planning a place for the championship trophy already?"

"Yeah right," Lucas scoffed at the idea. "My dad's team was the only one that even made it to state and they lost in the final game. With our roster, I think we'll be lucky to win more games than we lose."

"Well that's the way to be confident," she teased him.

"I'm a realist Hales. We have too many holes in the lineup to win many games. Skillz and I are a good solid backcourt, but we're going to have to count on Larry down low and while the kid's got talent, he's not even 16 yet. That's going to be asking a lot of him. The rest of the guys are either short on talent, short in stature, or both."

"Then I guess you better hope you learned something from Nathan this summer," Haley found herself saying, not realizing the implications. "I mean, not that you need his help, just that his team was good and..." her hands were moving as she tried to dig herself out of the hole she'd made. "I just meant maybe the extra practice helped..."

Lucas was too amused by her attempt to placate him to be angry at her statement. The truth was, as much as he hated to admit it, he did learn some things from his brother, not just on the court either. "It's okay Hales. I knew what you meant."

"I'm sorry anyway," she nudged her shoulder into him, "Have you talked to him since he's been gone?"

"A couple times," Lucas nodded. "Not for long, just when he called the house. I guess he promised his mom he'd make an effort to keep some sort of relationship with all of us."

"He's having a hard time with his hand," she agreed, "but he said Dan was great when he went up there. Not sure your dad is the person I'd want comfort from, but I guess it was good."

"Yeah," Lucas nodded, "My dad can be harsh and intimidating, but I remember all the times he bandaged my knees or when he helped me learn to ride my bike. Iguess you haven't really seen that other side of him much though."

"Certainly not in recent years," Haley agreed. "I'm glad you're all getting along."

"It's kind of strange, and I never expected to say this, but I am too."

* * *

Nathan drove his car toward Patrick's small law office, once again appreciative of the fact that he actually had his own vehicle. It had really come in handy with the travelling back and forth from school for doctor visits and therapy. He'd been saving up to buy himself something for the last couple of years, but it wouldn't have been nearly as nice and now he could use that money for something else, or depending on what he found out in a little while, maybe offer it to his mom toward her bills.

He tapped his good hand on the steering wheel, still agitated from his physical therapy. He was healing slower than he'd like and it was getting to him. Being active, lifting weights and playing every day, were part of his routine, part of him and he was going crazy being so limited in what he could do. He'd considered calling Haley, knowing her voice would help calm him, but he didn't want to be constantly dumping his problems on her. He'd done that ever since they met and it wasn't fair to her, expecially when he wasn't readily available most of the time to do the same in return. In fact, he owed her an apology. When she'd called a few days earlier he'd been upset and surly, definitely not the friend she'd needed him to be. He'd just been told that his wrist wasn't healed enough for practice and then he'd found his mom pouring over bills again. She swore things were okay, but he was starting to get seriously worried and although he'd tried his best, he'd been grumpy and terse. Haley had obviously noticed his mood and tried to pull him out of it, but they hadn't ended up talking long and he felt bad that he'd let her down. He realized after they hung up that she hadn't been herself either and she had probably needed to talk just as much as he had. He'd been unable to call her back since then, being forced to settle for an unresponded to email, but he was home for the weekend so he'd call her later and do his best to listen this time.

Patrick's office was in an old office building near downtown, not far out of Nathan's way home from the hospital. The older man usually worked until lunch on Saturdays so Nathan figured he'd stop by and see what he had to say. He suspected the will would be a surprise, or at least it's contents would be. He'd told his mother his grandparents had left him money in a trust, but not the amount. She assumed it was a throwaway and he let her, for some reason feeling the need to hold back on the details. He always valued her opinion, but there was no hurry and he wanted to think about his feelings on it before he shared the news with anyone. Her opinion would be important, but he didn't want it to make the decision for him before he knew what he felt and wanted for himself. Now though, he'd decided bringing it into the open was a necessity. If he was going to make any kind of final decision on what to do about it, he needed all the details.

He got out of the car and headed into the building. He knew Patrick's secretary never worked on the weekend so he wasn't surprised at the empty front room. He headed through to the main office, surprised to find the door open and his mother there crying in her friend's arms. He turned away to leave, uncomfortable with the sight, but he must've made a sound because Patrick called out to him, "Nathan, come on in."

Deb stiffened but stayed where she was, her face buried in the lawyers shoulder, "Was there something you needed?

"Oh, um..." Nathan wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't planned on filling his mom in on the conversation until he knew more details and he'd just been thrown for a loop at the sight of the two adults holding each other so close. "I just stopped by to ask your advice on something. It can wait."

"No, it's fine," Deb tried to discretely wipe her eyes before pulling away slightly and facing her son. Patrick adjusted his arm so it was around her waist, unwilling to let go of contact, "I was just about to leave."

"Deb," Patrick stepped around in front of her, "I don't think you should be driving. Let me take you home."

"I'm okay," she reassured him, stepping close and giving him a quick kiss, a move that completely caught her son off guard despite their closeness moments earlier. He'd suspected they'd gotten closer in recent weeks, but hadn't actually seen anything until then to be sure. "I need to get back to work and Nathan needs you." She turned to her son and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm fine honey, I promise," she answered the unspoken questions in her son's eyes, "It'll be good for you two to talk and we can discuss all of this later."

Patrick looked like he wanted to say something but her look silenced him and he instead waved her goodbye, looking back to Nathan. "So, did you really want advice or are you keeping something from your mother?" Nathan must have shown his surprise on his face because the older man continued, "Your mom was too distracted to notice, but I can't recall a time when you've ever asked me for advice on anything."

Nathan hesitated, rethinking his decision for a moment before deciding he didn't have much of a choice, "I need your advice on a legal matter actually."

"Are you in trouble?"

"No, no," Nathan quickly assured him, "I need some help with understanding this." He took an envelope out of his back pocket and handed it to him. "I also need you to promise you won't tell my mom anything about it until I'm ready. I realize that might be harder for you than I originally expected, but I want your promise before we go any further."

"I don't think I can do that Nathan," Patrick folded his arms over his chest. "I'd like to help you, but it's taken me forever to get your mother to trust me enough to let me in. I can't violate that now."

Nathan understood his position, but was still frustrated at the answer, "I swear, it isn't something that will hurt anyone and I promise to tell her myself, I'm just not sure when. That'll depend at least partially on what you tell me."

Patrick took a deep breath and looked at him, turning the envelope over in his hands as if he could feel it's contents. "Can you give me a hint of what this involves or do I have to make this decision completely blind?"

Nathan hesitated, "It's my grandparent's will. They left me some money."

"And you don't want your mom to know?" Patrick was confused, "I don't understand."

Nathan moved to sit in a chair, "I think will when you read it."

* * *

Haley walked around the cafe, refilling cups of coffee and checking on her other tables. The place had been a zoo all morning and she was exhausted. Lucas had called off to take Peyton to some art exhibit in Charlotte, leaving them shorthanded when his replacement came down with the flu. Of course, they'd also had a bus of senior citizens stop in on their way to the beach.

"I'll be right with you," she told a couple standing near the door, her face flushed from the constant rushing. She finished taking orders and dropped them off at the counter before coming back to the front. "Welcome to Karen's cafe..." she began before she felt a wave of dizziness and had to grab the back of the chair nearest her.

The man sitting in the chair turned around and noticing her sway helped her into the emtpy seat next to him and yelled for help. Karen came running to the front, the worry clear on her face. "What happened?"

"I'm okay," Haley closed her eyes and willed the room to stop spinning, "just got dizzy for a moment. I'm fine."

"She's probably pregnant," the woman near the door said, "you know those kind. Always getting into trouble."

"What kind are you referring to?" Karen turned around to address the comment.

"You know, poor girls. They can't help it anymore than you can help that you only work at this dumpy little cafe. At your age, you should've moved up to something better by now," the woman's tone dripped with condesention. "Don't worry, it's not your fault you were raised the way you were."

"You know what?" Karen shook her head. "You can leave now. I'm going to play the right to refuse service card."

"You can't do that. Just because you don't like hearing the truth, you can't try to get rid of us," the woman's hand flew to her chest. "Do you have any idea who we are?"

"I don't know and I don't care. You obviously don't know who I am either and I'll be happy to keep it that way," Karen shot back. "I don't need your "kind" in My Cafe."

The woman turned around and left, pulling the man behind her without him ever saying a word, making it obvious who wore the pants in their relationship. "Bitch."

Karen turned back to Haley who was already getting to her feet. She noticed everyone watching and gestured for them to sit down before moving to the younger girls side, "let's get you somewhere you can sit without all the eyes on you," she whispered, walking alongside and leading the girl to a seat in the back room. She disappeared then for a moment before coming back with a chocolate muffin and a cup of coffee. "Now, I don't want to see you until you eat all of this."

"I'm fine," Haley said, but bit into the muffin anyway. "I've been working really hard and I haven't eaten well lately. Give me a few minutes and I'll be good as new."

Karen look skeptical, but Haley did already look greatly improved. "I shouldn't have skipped breakfast, especially after not eating much for dinner. I promise, it won't happen again."

"And you promise to get more rest. You look awfully tired honey," Karen squatted down in front of her and looked her over. "Are you sure there's nothing else going on? I promise, I wouldn't judge you."

"Believe me, there's nothing like that," Haley told her awkwardly, embarrassed that Karen would even mention something like that to her, "That's not even a possibility."

"Okay, but if you ever do need anything, please know that you can come to me."

"I know that," Haley promised, "I just have a lot going on and not enough hours in the day. I'll figure it out."

* * *

"Wow," Patrick set his reading glasses off to the side and wiped his hands down his face. "I guess I understand why you're keeping it quiet. It's always amazing to see how popular people suddenly get when they receive money like this, especially from a known socialite. A lot of people would want a piece. Frankly, I'm surprised it hasn't already come out publicly."

"I think there are a couple people hoping to fight it, so they don't want word to get out yet," Nathan looked up from where he'd been waiting. "I had no idea anything like this was coming, it took me completely by surprise and I've just been trying to process it all. I don't really want anyone knowing about it yet, but I need to know the details and I trust you. On the video, he said it would be in a Trust of some sort. How does that work? When can I get access to it? Are there any rules about what I can use it for? Is there someone that oversees it?"

"It's a little complicated, but the basic gist of it is you will receive $2 million when you turn 25, another 2 when you turn 30, and the rest , however much is left including interest, when you turn 35."

"So I can't touch any of it for almost 8 years," Nathan sighed. With what Cooper had said he figured as much, but it was still disappointing. He hoped to be in the NBA by then and he wouldn't even need the money at that point. What he had hoped was that he could use it now to help his mom right then. He hated seeing her stressed and it was the last thing she needed when she was trying to recover her strength. Besides, she was the one that really deserved her parent's money. "There's absolutely no way I get any of it until then?"

"Well," Patrick leaned back in his chair, unsure about sharing the next part. Nathan had always been sensible and smart, but emotions could rule even the strongest of men and he knew how tough of a position the young man was in. Still, he deserved to know and it would break the trust they'd managed to form over the last year if he kept it from him. "There is one way. Let's go through all the details."

* * *

Nathan had wandered around town for an hour thinking about what he'd learned before heading back to the Pub to help out. Since he was home, he was taking his mother's shift so she could go to the doctor for a check-up and run a few errands.

It amazed him the lengths people would go to get their way, even dangling carrots from the grave in an attempt to get what they wanted. He'd actually laughed when he heard the conditions for getting the money sooner, as if they thought he cared enough about their money to jump through their hoops. Hell, if it wasn't for his mother, he would have told them to take it and shove it. They had worked hard to build a life on their own, one that their overbearing, controlling ways had no part in. He wondered if that had made them proud, or if they'd been angry they had lost control. He guessed he'd never know.

He'd been working for hours and his wrist was getting sore, but the only reason he'd given in and taken a break was to head up the stairs to change his clothes. He'd been clearing a table when a man tripped and spilled his beer all over him, soaking his clothes. He pulled the wet shirt away from his skin and it made a sucking sound, making him shudder. Ugh, he needed a shower too before he put anything clean back on, he smelled like a brewery.

He opened the door to the apartment and was surprised to hear his mom talking to someone, figuring she would be in bed by then. "I don't know what to do Coop," he could hear the tears in her voice for the second time that day. "It's bad, it's really, really bad. I don't have any way to catch up on the bills for this place and that's not even starting on the hundreds of thousands for my medical. If it really is coming back again, that's it. Without a transplant I'm done and the insurance won't cover another dime, even if they found a donor...I don't know, maybe it's just time to give in and admit defeat."

"Don't you dare say that," Cooper told her, sounds of shuffling obscuring what he said next before he could be heard. "You have to tell Nathan. I know you've been trying to protect him, but he deserves to know."

"He's already been through so much," Deb's voice was strained. "I hate that he has to go through all this, that I won't be here to see what else me accomplishes. At least he's come to know Dan a little, maybe that will help..."

"Don't talk like that," Cooper's own voice shook with tears. "Don't you dare give up. You are too strong to not go down swinging. I know they tied all my inheritance up, but maybe there's some way I can get a piece of it loose. We could do a fundraiser or something..."

"I doubt that," Deb was grateful for the offer. "If they didn't want you to be able to sell the houses, I'm sure they made it as difficult as humanly possible to do so. As for a fundraiser? I don't know that I want to make myself a pity case for a few dollars. It is what it is and I think maybe I have to just accept that."

"You're too strong..." Cooper started, only to be cut off by her next statement.

"This is me being strong enough to accept something that I can't change. Without a transplant I am going to die."

"What about that experimental drug the doctor mentioned?"

"How am I going to pay for something like that?" she snapped. "I've tried every option at my disposal and fought as hard as I can. Do you think I want this? I don't think so. I mean, what am I going to tell Patrick? I've been so scared for so long and now we're finally together and...Nathan, he's going to lose it. God, why does this have to happen?"

"I don't know sis," Cooper's voice was soft and Nathan had to strain to hear it over the sound of his mother's crying. "I'll never understand it."

Nathan slid down the wall in the hallway and did something he didn't remember doing since James Field's funeral. He cried until there were no tears left.

He somehow made it through the rest of the evening, even going back down and finishing the shift, but instead of sleeping, he'd spent the night thinking and planning. He'd then gotten up and pretended everything was normal before getting in his car and heading back toward school. He had to do something to fix the situation and there was only one way out that he could come up with. It was risky. In fact, it scared the hell out of him, but it was the only way he could see to help his mom. She might have been thinking of giving up, but there was no way he would let her, not when there was the slightest chance he could help. He turned his car east toward Tree Hill, his decision made for better or for worse. Now all he had to do was convince Haley.


	25. Chapter 25

Sorry for the delay in posting. There were a lot of factors that contributed, but I finally got it done. I hope you enjoy.

 **Ch 25**

"Okay, what's going on?" Quentin asked as he walked into Nathan's dorm room to find him packing a bag. "You call all upset and want me to skip chapel to meet you. Do you have any idea how much trouble I can get into if they find out I'm not sick?"

"Look, I'm sorry, but I don't have a lot of time and we really need to talk. Do you remember when I was asking you about our moms and money trouble?" Nathan continued to grab things he thought me might need as he talked.

"Of course, but I don't understand what that has to do with this," Q gestured to the piles on the bed and Nathan's task. "Where are you going?"

"Tree Hill," Nathan walked over and grabbed a couple of shirts, "but it's not what you're thinking. The thing is, I was on the right track about the money, but I had no idea just how bad it was." He proceeded to fill in his friend on everything he'd learned about the debt, the risk of foreclosure on the business their mothers both depended on, and finally his inheritance.

"So you can pay it off right?"Quentin was now getting worked up himself. He didn't know what his mother would do if she lost that place. It wasn't just her job, it was her family, her purpose, the thing that helped pull her through when her husband died. How was she going to take care of his brother without any income?

"It's not that easy," Nathan admitted, finally pausing in his task. "I don't get any of the money until I'm 25..."

"Are you kidding? What good will that do us?" Q started to pace. "Isn't there any way you can get it sooner?"

"There is, but you're not going to like it. Hell, I can't say I'm exactly thrilled with it myself," Nathan took a deep breath, "I have to get married."

Quentin started laughing, "that's funny Nate, but seriously, what do you have to do?"

Nathan's face didn't change, "In order to get the money, or at least some of it, I have to get married, and stay married, for a year."

"You aren't kidding," Quentin sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. "A year is still a long time. Can we wait that long?"

"I stayed up most of the night doing research and I'm pretty sure if I get married I can get a loan based on the future income, at least enough to keep things going and buy us enough time for the year to pass," Nathan's shoulders fell as he considered all that was riding on his decision. "It'll be a little harder because of my age, but I'm pretty sure it will work."

"Pretty sure? You're going to get married and just hope it works out? You're only 17 and you aren't even dating anyone. Where are you even going to find someone to marry you? I mean, I'm sure there are girls or women who would gladly do it for a piece of that money, or hell, just because you're you, but..."

"That's why I'm heading to Tree Hill," Nathan shook his head as if the answer was obvious, "I'm going to ask Haley."

"Haley? Super hot, best friend, doesn't like you that way Haley?" Quentin's eyes felt like they were going to bug out of his head. "That's a really, really bad idea. I mean, are you trying to torture yourself?"

Nathan frowned, "I've thought this through and she's the most logical choice. She's the only girl I know that I can trust with something so important, the only one I could stand to live with for a year, the only one who cares enough that she'd even consider it, the only one..."

"Who could break your heart into a million pieces," Quentin interrupted him. "The only girl I've ever met that, at least by your claims, DOESN'T want to hook up with you. I thought you decided not to go there, that your friendship is too important to risk asking her out."

"This is different," Nathan waved off his concerns. "We wouldn't really be a couple, we'd be more like roommates..."

"You don't usually want to kiss your roommates," Quentin pointed out. "Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but if you do this, you have to really do it, like stay married for the entire year or it'll all be worthless and you having a crush or whatever on her could make this whole thing blow up in your face."

"I'm not stupid. I know the risks and it won't be a problem," Nathan argued. "It's not like I'm some beast who can't control himself and maybe it's a good thing she doesn't see me that way. I certainly won't be in a hurry to start something with someone who doesn't want it."

"I don't think you've really thought this through Nate. We both know you have feelings for her. Are you going to be able to be so close and not want more?"

Nathan didn't want to think about how hard it would be to live with her, be married to her, and have to keep his feelings hidden, "I don't really have any other options. Sure, it'll be hard, but I don't see any other way. Can you? Do you have some great solution that I haven't seen yet?"

Quentin sighed, eventually shaking his head no. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know," Nathan reached out and gave his friend a hug before pulling back and grabbing his bag off the bed, "and I appreciate that more than you know, but I have to do this. Do you remember what you said when your dad died? You said that you would've given anything, done anything to save his life if you'd been given the chance. Well I have that chance and I have to take it. No matter what it takes, I have to try."

* * *

Taylor knocked on her sister's door and then entered without waiting for an response. She figured it was just a courtesy anyway, it wasn't like the answer would change the fact that she was going in no matter what. "So, you still pining over lover boy?"

Haley looked up from her desk and gave her sister a dirty look, "I'm not pining over anyone. Why can't a girl just study and work hard without everyone causing her grief?"

"Maybe because you look like you've been on an alcohol binge even though you're sober," Taylor snarked. Haley didn't say anything back, just continued to stare at her book.

"I looked up Nathan's school on the internet," Taylor continued, trying to get her sister's attention again, "it's pretty fancy and the basketball team is like a huge deal. I'm impressed. Of course their rules suck and I'd probably get kicked out the first week. Not a bad gig though if you don't mind being told what to do every hour of the day."

"It's a great school," Haley agreed without looking up, "he's really lucky to be there."

"Yeah, funny thing though," Taylor tried again, "There was a picture of him on the website, and boy is he fine, but I couldn't help but notice his jersey number is the same one on your back."

Haley sighed and finally looked up before starting into the explanation she'd given everyone so far, but Taylor put her hand over her mouth and stopped her mid sentence. "I'm not buying it for one minute. Remember, I spent that whole day with you after he left and you weren't exactly 'Miss Discrete'. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the tattoo."

Haley knew there was no point in arguing. She didn't regret her choice, but she could admit to herself that if she'd been sober she probably wouldn't have done it knowing the questions it would raise. "I miss him."

Taylor didn't look surprised, she just nodded as if it was something she'd known all along. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing," Haley told her, shaking her head, "it wasn't meant to be."

"But?"

"But it doesn't stop me from wishing things were different. I liked who I was with him. I think that's what I will remember most about this summer, the way he made me feel. He made my heart race and my stomach somersault," Haley smiled at the thought of how she felt when he was near, "but I was also more confident and I felt stronger when he was here. He made me brave."

"I'm sorry Hales, it sounds like love to me, but if you're really sure it's over, you need to move on," Taylor tried.

"That's your advice? I think it's love, but get over it?" Haley scoffed, her eyes narrowing in anger. "You really do suck at this. It's not easy you know. It's not like I want to be miserable or like that's even the only thing bothering me. Unlike some people, I worry about other things than men. I actually want to do something with my life."

Taylor sighed, knowing her sister had every right to react the way she was but unprepared for the outburst. "I'm trying here."

"Well you can stop because I'm fine," Haley pulled herself back under control, "I'll figure things out the way I always do, by myself."

"Maybe you don't believe this, but I came to help and if you think I'm going to just give up that easy, you don't know me very well."

"Of course I do," Haley stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "You always run when things get hard, I've never been able to count on you. Why should I think things are any different now? You took me out for my birthday and I thought we bonded and for the first time since we were little I really felt like we were sisters..."

"I did too. You don't know how much that day meant to me Hales," Taylor agreed.

"So much that you didn't come home again for a month?" Haley felt tears welling in her eyes, "I should've expected it, it's how you've always been. I don't know why I was so stupid that I thought this time you actually cared. Nathan left, and you left ,and mom and dad always leave..."

"I'm sorry Hales, but I do care. I know I haven't called as much as I should've, but I wouldn't be here if I wasn't worried about you. I've never seen you look so...depressed," Taylor was hesitant to say the word, but it fit. Her sister looked exhausted and miserable. "Please talk to me? Tell me what's got you so down."

"I lost a scholarship, the biggest one I've applied to so far," Haley finally admitted after several minutes of a silent standoff. "I was almost sure I'd get it and I don't know where else I'm going to find that kind of help."

"Okay, so I know that's tough, but it's just one out of a hundred you were going to try for," Taylor tried to be the voice of reason, something she wasn't used to doing. "You'll get others."

"Maybe, but I was really counting on that one. They said I don't have enough activities, that tutoring is just another academic thing and I'm not well rounded enough. If they think that, then what if all the others say the same thing? I have to get a lot of help if I'm going to go to Duke, but there just aren't enough hours left in my schedule to add something to make my resume look stronger and yet I have to find a way to do it anyway, all without sacrificing study time. If I lose my spot at the top of the class, that would be an even bigger disaster."

"What about cheerleading?" Taylor reminded her, "Weren't you going to try that?"

"I decided not to because it'll take so much time, but it's the only thing I can come up with," Haley closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, feeling another headache coming on. They'd become more frequent over the last few weeks as her stress level continued to rise and her amount of sleep dwindled, "I don't know how I'm going to hold all of it together for an entire year."

"Well you can't keep up what you've been doing, that's for sure. You need to take care of yourself and have fun every once in a while," Taylor told her. "Otherwise, you won't be able to do any of it."

* * *

Nathan had made one more stop for dinner after he left school and finally found himself in Tree hill, outside Haley's house. He hesitated, standing there for at least five minutes before finally bringing himself to ring the doorbell. Her parents' car wasn't in the drive and he was hoping this would be one of the many times they weren't home. As much as he liked them, it was going to be hard enough to face Haley in his state without having to make small talk with her family members.

He waited for a couple of minutes when no one answered and was just about to knock again when the door was thrown open and an obviously surprised Haley greeted him, "Nathan? I thought you were in Virginia?"

"I was," he told her, shifting from one foot to the other anxiously. "Can we talk?"

He asked her to walk with him. He needed to move after being stationary in the car for so long and he had no desire to have anyone around to witness their conversation. The last thing he needed when he tried to explain it to Haley was someone interrupting.

Haley rambled on the way there, obviously nervous about his sudden arrival. She had to be insanely curious about why he'd made the drive without even telling anyone he was coming, but she was trying to cover it with a description of things he'd missed since he'd been gone. He'd almost forgotten how she'd babbled when they first met and was a little sad that she'd reverted to that nervousness around him. They arrived at a bench and he gestured for her to sit, pausing for a few minutes to gather his thoughts. She must have sensed he needed that time as she slowed down her monologue and quietly waited for him to speak.

"When I got home it was so good to have my mom out of the hospital," he began. They'd already talked about this some over the phone, but he felt the need to start there in his explanation before getting to the more recent parts that she didn't know. He explained the financial problems and the bad medical news before getting to the part that tore him up inside, his voice unsteady as he admitted, "I actually heard her say maybe it was just her time Hales. She's giving up and I can't let her do that. I still need her."

"Oh God Nathan," Haley said, tears filling her eyes as she stood and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm so sorry this is happening but I'm glad you came to me. I wish there was something I could do for you."

He held her close and absorbed her warmth, her strength. Even if he she turned him down, the feeling of holding her close was something he needed to make him believe there was a chance things would be okay. Somehow, she always made everything seem hopeful, like the world wasn't as screwed up as he knew it was.

"Actually," he said, taking a deep breath and willing his emotions to subside. He knew there wouldn't be a better time to ask what he'd come for, but he needed to be clearheaded. "There is something you can do."

"What is it Nathan?" she asked, her hand cupping the side of his face and wiping a stray tear that had escaped his weary eyes, "You know I would do anything for you."

He paused, knowing that his next words would change his life forever. No matter what she said in response, their relationship would change and he would be forced to make some difficult decisions. Of course he didn't know which path he'd have to travel until he asked his question. Summoning his courage, he said, "You could marry me."

Haley closed her eyes and then reopened them slowly, surprised to find the same scenery around her. She was sure this was some sort of dream, but when she looked into his eyes and saw the pain there, she realized it was all too real. "Marry you? What? Why?"

"I know this probably seems crazy," he admitted, helping her to sit and taking the place next to her. "It feels a bit that way too, but it's what I have to do and I'm really hoping you'll help me."

"Okay, go back a little, I'm really confused," Haley's head was spinning. She'd actually had several dreams in which the man before her asked for her to be his wife, but in them his eyes were always full of love and devotion. In not one of them did he look scared and exhausted when he popped the question. "Why do you need to get married?"

"Sorry, I'm screwing this up, I know, I just don't know where to start..." Nathan took a deep breath to calm himself and reached for her hand before he continued. "Okay...When I went to my grandparents' funeral, I stayed an extra day for the reading of the will."

Haley nodded, "I remember. You seemed...strange when you came back. Did something else happen? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Nathan smiled at her concern for him despite how confused she must be, "but I was in the will. In fact, I inherited money. A LOT of it."

"So you can..."

"But, I can't touch it until I'm 25 unless I get married," he continued his explanation. "My mom needs that money, desperately. She DESERVES that money, but unless I do this, she won't live long enough to see a single dime. I can't let that happen."

"And she's okay with you doing this?" Haley was surprised. It didn't seem like his mother would be willing to let him make this kind of sacrifice for her, no matter how dire the situation.

"It's not her decision," he evaded the question. "I'm emancipated, so I don't need her permission. I have to do this Hales. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't try everything."

"Wow, that's...a lot," Haley leaned back but let him continue to hold her hand. It seemed like they both needed the connection at the moment. "So you want me to what? Marry you and then get a quick divorce or something?"

Nathan explained the stipulations that said they'd have to be living together as husband and wife and the person who oversaw the trust and could make them wait if the marriage wasn't real, "We'd have to live together, but I'm sure we could get separate bedrooms. I'd pay for it all of course, it would be like being roommates..."

"Except I'm assuming everyone has to think we're really married," Haley pointed out. "I mean, if we told people why we really got married it would end up getting back to the executor and then it would all be for nothing. We'd have to make people believe we are... in love."

Nathan hadn't actually thought of that. He'd only considered his relationship with Haley, not their relationships and interactions with everyone else. "I guess that's true." His mind was racing again at all the possible implications in that kind of farce. "I didn't realize just how much I was asking of you, I just thought of ways it could help you too.".

Haley sighed, pulling her hand free and standing. She needed a clear head to consider what he was proposing. Nathan continued to give reasons why this would be beneficial for her, but her mind drifted off and she wasn't even hearing him anymore. She didn't know how to process his words. Her friend, whom she had a crush on, returned and asked her to marry him. It might feel like a dream come true except for all the reasons why she couldn't possibly say yes. They were barely 17 and still attending high schools in different states. Their parents would never approve and their friends would think they were nuts. But most of all, there was no talk of love or even feelings.

How could she tie herself to him for even a year without those things? They'd be living together and pretending to be in love, but she'd have to deny how she really felt the entire time. It would be one of the hardest things she'd ever done, but how could she not when his mother's life was hanging in the balance? He might not love her, but he cared about her and he needed her. Could she really put her feelings and freedom above his mother's life?

"I don't know Nathan," she shook her head, all the reasons why it was a terrible idea flying through her mind while she still felt the urge to reassure him she'd do whatever he needed. "I can't...This is... huge. I need to really think about it and there's also my parents to consider. You might not need permission, but I do."

* * *

" _We'd have to make people believe we're in love,"_ he kept replaying Haley's words in his mind. He'd been taught that marriage was a lifelong commitment only made to someone you knew you'd love forever and now he was planning on marrying someone while already talking about divorce.

Before he'd taken her home he'd given her all the reasons he could think of to help him out. Now he just had to hope he'd convinced her to seriously consider his request. She claimed that she would, but that she needed time and he understood. He'd done nothing but think for the last 18 hours and he still felt like his head was spinning. It must be so much harder to have that kind of decision suddenly thrust into her hands.

She'd promised to talk it over with him more in the morning, but in the meantime, he'd gone to the Scott house to wait for her decision and, after a surprised welcome, had settled back into his old room for the night. He doubted he'd get much sleep, but he'd at least try and rest. The next few days would likely be crazy no matter what answer she gave. If it was yes, he'd have to figure out a place to live, withdraw from his school, and start making wedding plans. If she said no...it hurt to think that he was simply asking too much of her, but it was a very real possibility that she wouldn't be willing or able to help. If that were the case, he'd have to come up with a plan B, hopefully one that didn't involve marrying a stranger.

* * *

"Okay, you've been studying long enough Hales. You are taking a break and watching Princess Bride..." Taylor walked into her sister's room to find her not at her books like expected, but curled up on the bed staring at the wall. "What happened?" she asked, the pizza box in her hands set on the chair as she rushed into the room.

"Nathan came back," Haley whispered, her eyes still not averting from their creepy focus into space.

"Okay," Taylor was confused and more than a little worried, "Is he...is everything alright?"

"No, it's not," Haley finally blinked and turned, shaking her head, "It's really, really bad actually."

"I'm sorry," Taylor sat next to her sister and placed her arm around her shoulders. "Did he come for help from his dad?"

"Me actually," Haley closed her eyes, still unable to come to grips with their conversation earlier. "He asked me to marry him."

"What?" Taylor pulled away and stood, "Are you kidding me?"

Haley half smiled, knowing her response had been similar inside, but a lot less verbal, "Nope." She went on to explain what Nathan had told her from the details of the will to his rough plans for them to acquire the money.

"Okay, I feel bad for them. Really, I do," Taylor crossed her heart with her hands, "but this isn't your fault and it's way too much to ask of you."

"He's desperate," Haley looked down at her hands, twisting her pinkie ring. "I can't blame him for asking. In fact, I think it's pretty awesome that he's willing to do anything, to make tough sacrifices for his mom."

"I guess, but asking you to do the same isn't fair. What's he going to do now since you turned him down?"

Haley turned her head and didn't answer, "You did right? You told him no?"

"Not exactly," she admitted, "I..."

"Come on Haley," Taylor was getting upset, "I know you're little miss help everyone, but this is insane. I don't care how good of a cause you think it is, you can't just promise to marry and live with someone you barely know."

"I know it's a bad idea. I have a million reasons running through my head telling me why I should just call and tell him I can't do it," Haley raised her voice to match her sister's. "It would probably blow up in both our faces and there's not even a guarantee that it will save her."

"Then why haven't you done it? Why are you still sitting here considering it?"

"Because you were right. I'm in love with him," Haley shouted, covering her mouth and dissolving into tears as soon as the words spilled out. "I am so screwed," she grabbed her pillow and continued to cry. "I'm in love with him and he wants to be best buddies and roommates."

"Wow," Taylor wasn't sure what to say as she moved to rub her sister's back while she cried. "Are you sure? I mean, earlier you said it was just a crush?"

Haley gave her a dirty look, "I am now," she said before her tears came even harder. "I don't know what to do."

"I think you should tell him how you feel," Taylor said, "especially if you're actually considering marrying him. You'll be miserable if you don't."

"And if I do, he'll be completely freaked out and change his mind about wanting to do this. He'll end up picking someone he doesn't have to worry about crawling into his bed."

"You would do that?"

"Of course not, but he doesn't know that. He needs a friend and partner right now, not another girl hitting on him," Haley shook her head. "No, if I'm going to do this, he can't know. You can't tell him either. In fact, you can't tell anyone anything that I have told you tonight."

Taylor placed her hands on her hips, "and what do I get for this favor you're asking?"

"You get a sister who might actually believe you really aren't a bitch," Haley shook her head at the question. "I'm serious Tay. Even if you never do another thing for me in my entire life, I need you to do this. Please."

Taylor released a heavy sigh, "Fine, but if you decide to go through with this crazy scheme, I want to be there when you ask the parents. That should be one conversation worth listening in on."

* * *

Nathan looked left and then right, trying to figure out which hallway they should go down in the unfamiliar hospital. Haley was holding tightly to his hand and trying to keep up, but she was exhausted and the tears were pouring steadily from her smoke filled eyes. "We've been running for hours, I don't know how much longer I can last," she gasped, taking in a gasping breath while they were stopped. "I think you'll have to go on without me."

"I can't," he told her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "I need to have you with me, we have to save her together."

"It's too much, I can't do it," she sagged to the floor. "I'm so sorry Nathan."

He reached down and placed one hand behind her back and the other behind her knees, lifting her into his arms. He stumbled slightly, his tired body protesting against even her slight weight as his injured arm completely gave out. He looked down at it to find it just hanging here uselessly. "We have to find her. She won't survive much longer without us."

He could feel the heat coming through the walls as the smoke in the hallway got even thicker, causing him to cough, "I won't give up." He picked her up and brought her over his shoulder in a fireman carry and kept going, making his way through a maze of hallways, each one hotter and more dangerous than the previous one. He was about to turn left when he finally heard his mother's voice calling his name. He frantically turned, searching for the source before rushing to the blue door at the end. He set Haley against the cooler opposite wall and grabbed the handle, scalding his hand on the incredibly hot metal. He stepped back and got a running start, slamming his body into the door and knocking it off its hinges in the process. He stumbled into the room to find his mother sitting on a hospital bed, hooked up to various machines and completely surrounded by flames. "I knew you'd come," she said, reaching out her hand toward him, "but you're too late." Her entire body was suddenly engulfed in flames and he was thrown back to the floor.

"Mom," he cried, crawling in an effort to make it to her side but unable to get within a few feet. "Mooooooommmm."

He heard a noise from the hallway and knowing he had to do his best to help Haley, he turned back to the door, knowing he had to get out before the flames filled the whole room. He reached down for her and she opened her eyes for a moment, "I told you it was too much. You should've let me stay behind. "

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry," he whispered, brushing a sooty strand of hair from her face. "I never wanted you to get hurt."

"I trusted you," she gasped before her eyes rolled back and her body fell limp in his arms in his arms.

A blood curdling scream released from his throat as he pulled her against his chest, unmindful of the flames about to overtake them. "Noooooooo."

He shot up in bed, his entire body covered in sweat and his blankets twisted into a knot around his legs. He closed his eyes tightly as he fought to slow his breathing down to normal. The dream had been so realistic and it didn't take more than the year of Intro to Psych to know it was his mind's way of warning him of the possible consequences to the choices he was making. No matter how hard he tried, he might not be able to save his mom and in trying to, he might end up hurting Haley in the process. He had to decide if the possible reward was worth the risk, not for himself as he'd take any chance, but with Haley. Could he really ask her to give up her freedom and her home in exchange for living in an apartment with him and lying to everyone she knew? Would she end up hating him if their lying cost her the friends she'd spent her whole life with or drove a wedge between her and her parents? Was he really selfish enough to ask that of her?

He scooted his back up against his pillow and closed his eyes, "Please God, tell me what to do?"


	26. Chapter 26

Sorry about the delay, I had some crazy stuff happening here and warm weather means at least 4 hours a week spent mowing. :( Hope you enjoy.

Ch 26

Nathan dragged himself out of bed the next morning and stumbled into the bathroom for a shower. After another long, restless night in which he spent more time staring at the ceiling and worrying than actually sleeping, he needed something to wake him up and make him feel human again. Haley had texted him around 7 that she needed more time and that had kept him awake for a while, but eventually his exhaustion caught up to him and he slept again.

Grabbing a gray t-shirt from his bag he slid it on over his head and headed downstairs, hoping there was some breakfast left for him to eat. He'd barely eaten the day before and his stomach was reminding him loudly of his neglect.

"Good to see you finally up," Dan was sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee and the newspaper, "I thought you were going to sleep the whole day away."

"Sorry, rough night," Nathan recovered from his surprise and grabbed a muffin and an apple off the counter before walking over to the fridge and getting himself some orange juice. One of the reasons he'd let himself go back to sleep was to avoid this conversation and now he was scrambling to decide how much to tell his father when he wasn't even sure what was going to happen himself. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to say anything that might not make sense if Haley agreed to his proposal either. The moment was an example of how difficult their every interaction was likely to be if they decided to go through with his idea and it made him once again doubt the wisdom of his proposal. Unfortunately, just as every other time, he couldn't come up with any other alternative that would have a chance at saving his mom.

"I assumed," his father answered, "when I checked on you earlier, your blankets and sheets were all knotted up."

"Nightmare," Nathan admitted, sitting down on a stool and starting to eat. He wasn't sure what to think about the fact that Dan had looked in on him. In one way, it felt good that he cared enough to take the time, in another, he was a little annoyed since that was the type of thing you did for small children, not emancipated 17 year olds.

Dan watched, waiting for him to give an explanation for his arrival or a reason why he was there instead of at school on a Monday. He wondered if his mother even knew where he was. Finally, he cleared his throat, "So how's the wrist?"

Nathan frowned before looking down at the brace he still wore there, "it's healing, just not as fast as I'd like."

Dan nodded in understanding, knowing the frustration for an athlete when their body fails them. "It'll be good as new soon. I know you can't fully practice, but have you been working on the move to the point? Keeping that starting spot will be important to the scouts, even if they have already offered you something unofficially. It's a shame you're not going to be ready for the first game."

Nathan wasn't sure how far he should let this conversation go when there was every chance he wouldn't even be a Warrior when the first game rolled around. It seemed like the best bet was to stay as close to the truth as possible without saying anything that would give away their plot. "I'm doing everything I can to get better and get back on the court," he settled for saying.

"Good. You have no idea how lucky you are to have the opportunity you've been given. I would've killed for a chance to play on a team like you do, to have the best coaches, the best facilities, scouts at just about every game. Not to mention the great academics there," Dan praised him, "I'm so proud of what you've accomplished, of how you've overcome your challenges and worked to earn the advantages you have now. Don't let this injury keep you from making the most them, your entire future is riding on what you do with this season."

Nathan sat quietly, knowing Dan would probably throw a fit if he had a clue what Nathan was planning. He sipped at his juice for something to do while he waited for the next question, knowing that eventually the real questions would come. He didn't have to wait before he was proven right, "So what brings you back to Tree Hill on a school day? I can't imagine your coach is happy with you missing practice, even if you can't fully participate yet. Plus, it's not good to get behind in your studies."

"I didn't have classes today because of an orientation thing for underclassmen and Coach gave me permission to miss," Nathan explained. "They're doing a short scrimmage and I can't join in anyway." Of course, he didn't mention that that was for one day only and if he didn't get back he would be missing things. He hoped he'd have an answer by the end of the day and he'd either be back for classes or to pack up his things.

Dan nodded, "and the reason you're back here without even so much as a phone call telling us you were coming?"

Nathan sighed and decided to go with the closest approximation of the truth, "Two things actually. I didn't know ahead of time I was coming, but I needed to see Haley and I wanted to talk to you about some important things that would be better said in person."

Dan latched onto the second half of that statement as Nathan had hoped he would, "What's going on?"

Nathan explained about the bills, leaving out how dire the situation was. Truthfully, it would've been nice to have someone like Dan to help guide him, but just like with his mother, he knew he wouldn't want him to make the decision he knew he had to.

"I know you helped before, but she already said she wouldn't accept more from you and the number is more than I'm sure you could spare," Nathan started, "I wondered about maybe some kind of fundraiser, but I wouldn't have any idea where to start..."

He'd already realized that even once they got the money he had to have a way to explain it to his mother if he didn't want to admit their farce and thought this was as good as it was going to get. It would also get them a legitimate start to paying bills while he waited for some of his money to come through.

"I'll talk to my wife, but I'm sure we could come up with something. Obviously it would work better if we did it where people know her. Do you think she'd be willing to do something at her bar?"

Nathan hadn't considered that, but realized it made sense, "I can try, but she doesn't even know that I heard how bad it is. I have a feeling she won't be very happy that I brought it to you."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense and I can work with that. Maybe I can just call her with the idea and tell her I know how expensive hospital bills can be. She doesn't have to know you suggested it, although I do think it would be a good idea for you to tell her you know," Dan was glad for the chance to help. "Keeping it from you is probably as hard on her as finding a way to pay the bills."

Nathan hadn't thought of it that way, "I'll think about it."

"And I'll see what I can do to get things started," Dan said, standing up and straightening his suit. He grabbed his phone off the counter, "I'll make a couple of calls on my way to work." He headed for the back door before turning, "are you still going to be here in a few hours?"

"Probably," Nathan nodded, knowing he wouldn't get an answer from Haley until at least 3 when school was done for the day.

"Good. I didn't miss what you said about coming to see Haley. We can talk about that later too," Dan grinned before starting to close the door behind him. "By the way, it's good to see you son."

* * *

Haley was sitting in her Advanced Calculus class and having trouble concentrating on the lesson on Integrating Functions, instead finding herself daydreaming and doodling in her notebook.

 _Haley Scott_

 _Mrs. Nathan Scott_

 _Haley James Scott_

The teacher asked her a question and she looked down at her notes, nearly breaking her pencil when she realized what she'd been doing instead of paying attention. Not only was she going to have to borrow notes from someone to do her assignment for the evening, but this was one of the most important decisions she'd ever made and she couldn't make it based on her crush on him. She had to be one hundred percent sure not just that she was willing to do what he asked, but that she'd be able to handle it long term.

She had to be honest with herself and think of all the problems the marriage would cause. She'd been writing them down and the list was a mile long , but the one she was most stuck on was if she could really see him every day, live with him, and only be able to show her real feelings when they were in public. It would be both a blessing and a curse to hold his hand and probably kiss him so people believed their story, and then have to revert to hiding her feelings when they were alone. She wasn't sure she was strong enough to handle that, especially for an entire year, and letting him down after beginning would be even worse than just telling him no.

She looked over to the clock, ready for class to be over since for the third subject in a row she wasn't absorbing anything said anyway, when she saw him walk by the door. She gasped, drawing attention to herself, convinced she was now completely losing her mind. It was bad enough he'd constantly been in her head, and she had to admit her dreams, but now she was seeing him in places he'd never be. She was seriously going crazy.

"Ms. James," the teacher stared her down, almost as if he could read the ridiculous scribbles where her notes should be, "is there a problem?"

"Um," her face turned red as everyone waited for her answer, "I think I need a drink."

Mr. Linden rolled his eyes, but waved her toward the door. "Maybe when you come back, you'll actually pay attention."

Haley ducked her head as she walked out of the classroom, embarrassed at being called out. She couldn't ever recall a time she'd been spoken to by a teacher before, at least not when she couldn't blame it on either Brooke or Lucas. As she went to get her drink, she glanced down each hallway, hoping to see the familiar dark head of hair that would at least let her know she wasn't just imagining things, but there wasn't anyone down any of the paths. She sighed, knowing she had to suck it up and make her decision soon or she'd lose her sanity.

* * *

Nathan walked into Tree Hill High for the first of what he prayed would be many times. The office had given him directions, but the school was laid out differently than any he'd ever attended and it felt a bit like being in a maze. After taking two wrong turns, he'd finally figured out where the coaches office was and was now preparing to knock. "Don't just stand out there, come in," he heard, making him jump.

He straightened his shoulders and pushed open the door, "Hey Coach Durham," he took a couple of steps into the small office. It was nothing like the office of his coach back at Oak Hill. That one was large and pristine, made to both draw in and intimidate recruits. This office was lived in, with pictures of teams and players he'd coached in the past. Nathan liked it.

"Well well, Nathan Scott," Whitey smiled, standing and coming around the front of his desk. "To what do I owe this pleasure? Here to see how us regular folk live?"

Nathan smiled and shook his head, although in a way he'd done just that, "I do my offseason playing in a rundown YMCA or on a half gravel playground court. This is much nicer than either of those."

"I heard about your wrist?" Whitey gestured to the bandage, "How's it coming? I bet you're itching to get back on the court."

"Doctors said I should be good for full contact in two weeks," Nathan unconsciously flexed the injury, "and yeah, being sidelined sucks."

Whitey laughed, moving to lean against his desk. "I thought you'd be at school. What brings you my way?"

"When I was here before, you said if I ever needed a place to play, you'd love to have me on your team," Nathan decided to just lay it out there. What Dan had said about him needing to be on the court had gotten him to thinking about the technicalities/difficulties of switching teams. "I was wondering if that was still true."

"Of course it is," Whitey stood up straighter, "but why would you ever leave Oak Hill?"

"There are some things going on that may make it a necessity," Nathan didn't want to go into details. "If it happens, do you have room for me here?"

"You aren't in trouble are you?" Whitey asked, his eyes narrowing. When Nathan shook his head no, he continued, "Then I'll make room."

"I'm technically on the Oak Hill roster, though I haven't played yet," Nathan had tried to look into the details online to see how the rules worked, but couldn't find any specific rules or examples that fit his situation. "Will that cause any problems?"

"It might, but I'll work it out if you need me to," Whitey promised.

"Are you sure? It might not be easy," Nathan didn't like dumping this on the coaches' lap. When it came to star players, things were always a lot trickier than with the average student.

"Son, when you're my age you know everybody in this business and most of them owe you favors. I won't pretend to understand why you'd want it, but if you do, I can make sure it gets through," Whitey assured him. Pausing he looked at the clearly troubled boy in front of him, "Your daddy won't like it though. He's proud as punch to have you at Oak Hill and he and I haven't ever really gotten along."

Nathan knew his father would be disappointed, especially after their conversation earlier, "I know, but I'm not doing it lightly. If I transfer, it's because it's what I have to do."

"Well I'm not sure it's in your best interest, but if you decide it's what you want, I'd love to have you," Whitey told him. He was sure there was a much bigger story behind the request, but figured the kid had enough going on without someone prying, "and if you need to talk, the offer is still open. You can come to me anytime."

"I might take you up on that," Nathan nodded, relieved at the old coach didn't push for answers he wasn't ready to give, "thank you, for that and for the help."

"Don't thank me yet, I haven't done anything," Whitey said. " I have to say, you don't get surprised often at this age, but you just made my year a hell of a lot more interesting. Now let's talk about how you like to play..."

* * *

Haley sat in the quad with her lunch in front of her, staring off into the distance. What would her friends think if they knew what she was considering, really leaning towards doing? Would they even believe their story? How would they react?

"Hey Hales," Lucas was the first to make it to their table, "I thought you had tutoring today?"

"I needed a break so I got someone to cover for me," she answered. Truth was, she did need a rest, but even more than that, she knew she'd be worthless and she didn't have the energy to spend trying to avoid letting Ethan have the chance to ask her out. Of course, one of the upsides to the plan Nathan proposed was she'd have a date for events and not have to worry about anymore matchmaking. That alone might be enough to sway her and the idea of not having to worry about raising money for college was tempting as well. Still, her main reason for considering it was also one of the main ones holding her back. She wanted so badly to help him save his mother, but she was terrified she'd screw it up and ruin it for all of them.

"Nathan's back in town. Not sure why, but he showed up at the house late last night," Lucas informed her. "Did you know he was coming?"

"Hmmm," Haley murmured, not sure what Nathan had told them, "Um, no. He didn't tell me."

"That's weird. We didn't know either. He just showed up on our doorstep and asked if he could stay the night. I think my dad was going to try and get some answers this morning," Lucas continued. "It must be important for him to drive so far."

"Yeah," Haley put some food in her mouth, hoping it would give her an excuse to not say anything further, but she didn't need to worry anyway as Peyton and Brooke arrived a moment later.

"Is it true?" Brooke asked immediately, "Is Nathan back?"

"Where did you hear that?" Haley swallowed. She wasn't surprised that Lucas knew, but she was sure he hadn't exactly advertized his brother's arrival.

"It's all over school. Rachel was telling people she saw him last night. She claims he's going to be her date for Homecoming," Peyton answered. "I don't buy it for a second since he couldn't stand her over the summer, but it does seem strange that he's here without letting any of us know about it."

Haley bit her lip, unsure what do, but figuring she needed to say something, "I'm sure he's not interested in Rachel," she put out there. Of course, he did say he would have to figure out another plan if she turned him down and she was sure Rachel would be more than happy to take her place. Her stomach churned at the thought, "but he is in town. I talked to him last night."

Lucas turned to her, his face showing his confusion, "but you said...?"

"I said I didn't know he was coming and I didn't. He just showed up and needed to talk. You know we got close this summer and I told him I'd always be there to listen. There's some stuff going on with his mom and I guess he needed that last night," she explained, trying to keep things basic, "we went on a walk and talked for a little while and then he left, probably for your house."

Lucas squinted his eyes as if trying to see through the holes in her story and Haley forced a smile to her face. One thing was for sure, if she and Nathan were serious about even attempting this, they were going to have to sit down and get their stories straight. She stood, looking down at her watch, "I just remembered that I'm supposed to meet with Principal Turner about the National Honors Society ceremony. I'll catch you guys later."

"That was weird," Brooke frowned at Haley's hasty departure. "I thought she met with him yesterday." She turned her Lucas, "do you think it has anything to do with Nathan?"

"I wouldn't be worried about it. He's been talking to your dad lately and he probably just figured it was his last chance to visit before basketball games start," Peyton pointed out, "I'm sure it's not a big deal."

"I guess we'll find out soon enough," Lucas said, "but I have a feeling there's more to it and I think it involves Haley somehow."

"What else could it be?" Brooke asked. She wondered if Lucas had any idea of the feelings his best friend had for his brother or if they had anything to do with that brother's reappearance.

"I don't know," Lucas looked over at his friends, "but I don't think I'm going to like it."

* * *

Haley sat in her 5th period study hall and watched the birds flying around outside the window. Instead of studying, she'd spent the last 20 minutes revising and adding to her pros and cons list. In the past, it had always been her go to when it came to making any important decisions. Which classes to take? What to major in? What college should she go to? Should she buy a car or save the money toward college? She'd even done one to help choose her first pet when she was 8. Lately though, she'd been doing things she'd never done before and she'd done them solely based on feelings and emotions. She knew what those same feelings were telling her to do, but she couldn't let herself do something as big and important as get married without really thinking things through. She had to try and reclaim control of the situation that so far had her feeling like she was completely overwhelmed. Unfortunately, her list hadn't helped her as much as she'd hoped. There were definitely more cons than pros, but for once she couldn't just accept that and move on. The few pros just seemed so much more important than anything on the other side and added to what her emotions were telling her, and as crazy as it sounded even to her, she knew which way she was leaning.

She looked at the clock and saw that there were 15 minutes left in class and almost 3 hours left in the school day. She couldn't wait that long, she needed to talk to Nathan. She raised her hand and got the teacher's attention. She had to get out of there.

She told herself it was to get some more answers before she could make a final decision, but she knew herself well enough to admit that would be a lie. She'd missed him terribly while he'd been gone and wondered if she could even consider letting herself make a choice that would send him back on his way, hurt and disappointed and possibly forced to turn to someone else, when one three letter word would let her see him, be with him every day. She knew it would be hard, but the chance to be with him, to be there for him, seemed to outweigh the downside.

She headed for the office and told them she was going home sick. They didn't doubt her for a moment, one of the advantages of being considered the perfect student, and she went to her locker to get her things. Her hands shook as she turned the combination, the nerves of the coming conversation getting to her.

"Hey, I thought you were sick," Ethan leaned against the lockers next to hers, "Trish said that's why you cancelled our session."

"Oh, yeah. Actually, I'm leaving now," she held her hand over her stomach, "I've tried to gut it out, but I'm just going to head home early."

"Sorry you don't feel good. Missed you at our session and I wanted to talk to you about something," he reached out to try and take her hand.

"Haley?" Nathan was surprised to see her in the hallway, standing closely with a good looking guy and holding hands?

"Nathan," Haley was always happy to see him, but she was also grateful he'd interrupted what would've been an awkward conversation. She yanked her hand away, "I'm not crazy," she added under her breath, "Thank God."

"Are you okay?" Nathan looked at her closer and noticed the tension in her body. His eyes went to the guy standing so close. He was clearly annoyed at the interruption, but Haley seemed grateful.

"Actually, I haven't been feeling well and I was going home early," Haley glanced over at Ethan before returning her gaze to Nathan, "Could you give me a ride?"

"I can drive you," Ethan offered, reaching up to place a proprietary hand on her shoulder.

"No, that's okay. Nathan doesn't have class and I need to talk to him anyway," Haley was quick to shut that idea down. She took a step away to remove the contact, "I'm sure he doesn't mind."

"No," Nathan said, confused by the interaction. "I'd be happy to take you."

"Okay," Ethan was obviously disappointed, "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Get some rest and have sweet dreams, hopefully of me," he winked before heading off down the hallway.

"Are you really sick?" Nathan asked when the other boy was out of sight.

"No, I just needed to get out of here and talk to you," Haley admitted, "Although, the thought of him in my dreams does give me a bit of indigestion."

Nathan laughed, "Not a fan?"

"Not at all," Haley shook her head, "Can we get going? We have a lot to talk about."

Nathan took a deep breath and released it, "Let's get out of here."

They drove in to the waterfront in silence, a mutually agreed upon decision to wait until they could give the conversation their full attention. It was too important to be distracted.

Haley stopped and looked out over the Cape, "You really think it's the only way, don't you?"

He nodded, leaning against the rail next to her, "I wouldn't be here dragging you into it if there were any other option. I've been wracking my brain and I can't come up with any other solution."

Haley sighed, "I can't either. Look, I want to help you, I really do..."

"But?"

She turned to look up at him, "I just don't know how we can make it work. I have so many questions."

"Okay then," Nathan sighed, gesturing for her to sit at the nearest table, "Let's see if I can answer some of them."

break

"Do you really think it'll be that easy?" Haley asked as they drove to her house hours later.

"I don't think it'll be easy at all," he disagreed, "I just think that we can do it."

"I still feel bad you'd be giving up your whole life to move here"

Nathan pulled into her driveway and put the car in park, "You're giving up a lot to help me, it's the least I can do. Besides, I knew what I would be giving up as soon as I made the suggestion."

"I know, but your team is important to you," Haley argued, despite her relief at being able to stay where she was comfortable. Although she admired him for doing it, she hated that he was giving up so much.

"It's not even a hard choice to make. I can't stay at Oak Hill because we have to live together and that would be impossible there. Girls aren't even allowed to enter the guy dorms and vice versa. If I went back home I'd have my mom and a couple casual friends, but we'd both be starting over at a new school and you would be giving up everything. At least I know people here."

Haley knew he was right, but it still bothered her that he was giving up something he'd worked so hard for. "I know, it just sucks."

Nathan gave a surprised chuckle, "It does."

"So we're really going to do this?" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath at his answering nod, "I guess it's now or never. You ready to do the hardest part?"

"Convincing everyone we're in love?" Nathan asked nervously.

Haley winced at his answer, but raised her chin. She knew where they stood and she was determined to push her feelings to the side to help him anyway, "No. Convincing my parents."

* * *

They walked into the kitchen and found her mother starting dinner, "Mom," Haley said, walking over and giving her a hug, "Is Daddy here? We need to talk to the two of you."

"Are you pregnant?" Mrs. James looked at her daughter closely.

"What? NO, why does everyone think that?"

"Well you have been extra tired and you did have some lightheadedness," this was news to Nathan and he looked over at her in concern. She'd told the boy at the school she was sick, but she said it was a lie. Was there something going on with her health?

"I'm fine," Haley waved her off, not wanting to talk about it, "We do have something serious to ask though."

Her mother narrowed her eyes, but nodded, "I'll go get him."

She left the room and Nathan turned to Haley, "Don't ask," she stopped his words, "it was nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she didn't want to get into the reasons for her malaise, especially since she'd realized during all her thinking that a good portion of it was missing him.

"And you really think we need to tell them the truth?" Nathan wasn't sure it was the right way to go. It required both trust that they would agree with their decision and discretion that they wouldn't tell anyone the truth even if they didn't.

Haley moved over to sit on one of the high chairs at the island, "I do. It's going to be hard enough without lying to them."

Nathan nodded in acceptance before moving over to take the chair next to her, his leg bouncing furiously as he waited for them to return. "I guess I'll trust you on this, you know them better than I do."

"It's going to be fine," Haley reached over and put her hand on his knee. "We'll make them understand."

"And what if we can't?"

"We will," Haley assured him. She couldn't imagine her parents turning her down. They might not agree with her choice, but they'd always trusted her and let her make her own decisions.

"How do you know? I wouldn't let my daughter get married like this," Nathan stood and walked over to the back door, looking out at the backyard, "I'm sorry... this is a bad idea. I don't know if I can drag you into this..."

Haley walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder, "It's going to be okay. We can do this, we can save her."

"Can we?" he turned around and looked at her, "I've been so determined, but what if it doesn't work? What if all it does is buy her a little time?"

"Then at least we gave her a chance," Haley leaned her head against his chest, "Can you live with not knowing? We have to try."

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer, "I'm supposed to be the one convincing you."

"You already did. We're a team now right?" she smiled up at him, "That's what we decided."

Nathan took a deep breath and nodded, "I..."

"What's this you need to talk about?" Jimmy James asked as he walked into the kitchen. "Oh, I get it."

Haley stepped back, "Um, this isn't what you think, well it is, but it isn't..." she stumbled through her explanation as she took in her parent's laughing faces. "Ugh. You guys are terrible."

"I'm sorry," Lydia said, trying to be serious, "It's just, the way you were talking a few minutes ago we expected it to be bad."

"Well you still might think that," Haley said under her breath before starting again. "We have something to ask you and I want you to promise you'll listen to all of it before you give an answer."

"Okay, this sounds ominous," Jimmy sobered at the seriousness of her statement, "how about we move this to the living room? I have a feeling I may want to sit down."

Haley and Nathan agreed, the four of them moving to the next room where the two youngsters sat on the couch, the adults in the chairs across from them. Nathan looked at Haley and she nodded for him to begin, "You guys know the situation we've been facing with my mother. When I went home she'd finished her treatment and things looked good, unfortunately, there was a lot I didn't know..." He went on to explain the bills, the mortgage, and the need for more treatment despite the insurance coverage running out.

Lydia moved over to sit next to him on the couch and gave him a hug, "I'm so sorry Nathan. I can only imagine how you must be feeling. I wish there was some way we could help."

"Well that's the thing mom," Haley wrapped her arm around Nathan's and leaned forward to see her mother, "there is something we can do."

She explained the inheritance and the stipulations for receiving it early, "Nathan is emancipated, so we just need your permission. "

"You want to get married?" Jimmy stood up and crossed his arms. "I didn't even know you were together."

"We're...not," Haley admitted nervously, "It wouldn't be...that kind of marriage."

"There is only one kind of marriage," Jimmy shook his head. "I understand the place you're in Nate, but that's a lot to ask of our daughter, of our whole family. I'm assuming other people have to believe it's real?"

Nathan looked over at Haley before nodding his assent, "I promise I'll take care of her. I'll help pay for her college and..."

"That's great, but that's not a reason to get married," Mr. James started to pace, "I know we haven't been the strictest or even most responsible parents, but we take marriage very seriously and we want all our children to have ones like ours. We want them to find the person that makes them as happy as we've made each other, not...this."

"Daddy," Haley tried, "I understand what you're saying, but this is..."

"No buts," Jimmy said, looking over at his wife, "I appreciate your problems Nathan and I hope you find a way to help your mother, but I don't think I can let my daughter be a part of it."

"You have to," Haley stood up, tears welling in her eyes "Please? You've always trusted me to make the right decision, to do the right thing and I've never taken advantage of that, I've never let you down. Now I need you to trust me that this is what I want, what I need to do."

"Hales," Nathan said, standing up beside her, "it's okay. I understand what he's saying and I can't say that my decision would be any different in his shoes."

"You need my help and I want to do it. It should be my decision," Haley was upset and turned into Nathan for comfort. He immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulders, one hand rubbing circles on her back.

"Jimmy, could we talk for a minute?" Lydia gestured to the kitchen.

Jimmy looked over at the teens as Haley cried against the young man's chest before following her out of the room.

"I think you're making a mistake," Lydia didn't waste any time telling him.

"You think I should let our daughter, our baby marry for money?" Jimmy was shocked at the idea.

"No, I think you should trust her to make the right decision for herself," Lydia shook her head. "You just said you want her to find a love like we have, but you aren't paying attention to what's in front of you."

"I know you think they're destined for each other, but that's not what I'm hearing," Jimmy argued, "I haven't heard a single thing that tells me they feel that way."

Lydia rolled her eyes at her husband, "Do you remember when we were young? I knew we were meant to be long before you admitted it. They love each other, even if they don't know it yet."

"This is too important to rely on your matchmaking instincts," he told her. "How can you be so sure you're even right?"

"Because she looks at him like he's the most important thing in her world and she willing to do something that normally would be way beyond her comfort zone to help him," Lydia moved to wrap her arms around his waist, "She's been miserable since he left."

"And what about him?"

"He looks at her like you've always looked at me," Lydia wrapped her arms around his neck. "They'll figure it out."

Jimmy hung his head, "She's my baby."

"She'll always be your baby," Lydia smiled, knowing she was winning, "but she's growing up and this is what she wants. You know how she is, if you don't let her do this, it'll tear her apart that she couldn't help. I think the time is here where you're going to have to learn to share being the most important man in her life."

"I get that, but marriage?"

"I know," Lydia wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea either, "I can't say it's my first choice for her either, and it may not work out, but Haley of all people deserves to make this choice for herself. You know if anyone could make it work, it'll be her and Nathan cares for her, that's obvious. You saw her a minute ago, she wants this Jimmy and I think she's earned the right to make the decision for herself."

He turned and looked out the window for several minutes, looking at the old swing set where all of his kids had played, where they'd grown before his eyes, "You know, I always wondered if she wouldn't end up a Scott someday," he gave in. "but never imagined anything like this. I can't believe I'm going to let you change my mind. You better be right."

"We've been married for over 30 years. You should know by now, I'm always right," Lydia tilted up her face and kissed him before pulling away and turning toward the living room. "Now let's go tell them the good news."

Jimmy reached for her hand and pulled her back to him, "You know I'm still not happy about this right?"

Lydia smiled, placing her hand on his cheek, "I know, and that makes me love you even more."

* * *

"What are you going to do if my mom can't change his mind?" Haley asked as they sat alongside each other on the couch. "I'm pretty sure that she's trying, but his face was dead set."

"I don't know," Nathan admitted, not wanting to think about his other options further unless he had to, "Dan is going to help me get a couple of fundraisers planned. I guess I'll have to hope they can buy us enough time to figure something else out."

"Will they be enough?"

"To fix things? No way. To at least give us some time? Maybe," Nathan answered. He thought about Quentin's suggestion to buy a bride, but didn't think he could do it. He'd been able to easily envision sharing an apartment with Haley, maybe even look forward to it, but the idea of pretending to love and cherish a stranger made his stomach churn. Still, he'd sworn to do whatever it took and if that's what he had to do, he might have to find a way to get through it. As much as he hated the idea, his mom had given up her entire life for him, how could he balk at the thought of one year?

Haley reached over and squeezed his hand, "We just have to hope my mom can work one of her miracles."

"Thank you," Nathan squeezed back, knowing a miracle is probably what it would take, "No matter what happens, I really appreciate that you're willing to do all this to help me. I'll never forget that."

"That's what friends do, besides, I..." Haley stopped and looked to the door as the heard her parents re-enter the room, trying to read their expressions. Her father still didn't look happy, but her mother's expression gave her hope.

Jimmy narrowed his eyes as he looked at them, seemingly studying their faces, before looking over at his wife and sighing, "I guess we have a wedding to plan."


	27. Chapter 27

Nathan sat heavily on the swing the James family had hung on their back porch, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. The last few days had been an exhausting whirlwind of activity, culminating that morning with the trip to the courthouse to apply for a marriage license. He tried to relax, but felt his hands getting sweaty at the thought of getting married. It didn't matter that he really liked Haley or that it wouldn't be a normal marriage, the idea of marriage at all was too foreign to his 17 year old brain for it be comfortable with the idea.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm his mind, but no matter how many times he reminded himself it was his only choice, he still freaked out at a little at the idea. It was easier to handle when it was something on a future to do list, but now they had the official paper and it was tangible. In a few days he was going to be promising to love and cherish his friend until death do they part, when what they really meant was to lie and pretend for a year. He groaned as his conscience kicked up and he told it to shut up, again. He didn't know anything about love and he certainly didn't have any examples of forever. In fact, what his life had taught him so far was to always be ready for the next thing to kick you in the teeth so it didn't take you down. Forever wasn't a concept he could even understand.

Haley joined him on the porch, bringing two glasses of lemonade and setting them down on the railing before she joined him on the swing. She waited for him to open his eyes and when he didn't, she decided to go ahead and ask what she'd wondered about most of the morning.

"What's bothering you?" she reached for her drink and took a sip of the tart liquid, "Is it your mom, or did something else happen?"

"I talked to Dan last night," he admitted, opening his eyes. He picked up a stray leaf that blew onto the seat and carefully plucked it apart before letting blow away in the wind. "It didn't go well."

"Oh," Haley's face fell as she set the swing into motion. Dan Scott wasn't the easiest person to deal with most of the time, but when he wasn't getting his way, he could be positively scary, "What did he say?"

"What didn't he say?" Nathan shook his head, thinking back to the scene the night before, "I haven't even told him about the wedding yet, but just the leaving school part had him plenty pissed off. I'm screwing up, throwing my future away, ruining my life, pretty much every cliché in the parental handbook."

"Sorry," she reached over and squeezed his hand, trying to give him some of her strength. With all he'd been through the last week, he looked like he was running on empty. "Maybe we should tell him the truth? I think he'd be a lot more understanding if he knew your reasons. He might even be able to help."

Nathan shook his head, wishing it were that easy, "There's already too many people that know, I can't risk any more. Besides, it just makes it more realistic right?" he tried to joke, "I mean, what parents in their right minds would be happy about this? Sorry, I didn't mean..."

"It's okay, I've never claimed my parents were normal," Haley shrugged, picking up his glass and handing it to him, "I'm not Dan's biggest fan, but I would hope that even if he doesn't like it he'll support you."

"I guess we'll see. Right now I've got too much other stuff to worry about to let him get to me. If he can't be there for me then well," Nathan tried to brush it off, "you can't really lose something you never had."

Haley frowned, concerned by his attempt to make light of things. She had a feeling Dan wasn't the only one who was going to give them a hard time and she feared it was going to get a lot worse for both of them before it got better, "He loves you."

Nathan nodded, not wanting to argue about something that couldn't be proven one way or the other. He took a few sips of his drink, using the chance to regroup from his memories. "So," he pasted on a smile, "I know I just got here, but I need to get back home. I don't want my mom finding out from someone else first and this isn't something I want to do over the phone."

"Do you think she'll be okay with it?" Haley had liked the woman immensely when they met, but had no idea how she would react to something like this. Nathan was her only son and she might not have much time left with him. It would be a hard thing for most mothers to accept their son was moving away and marrying with such short notice, especially at his age.

"I don't know," he admitted, "She probably won't be thrilled, but I'm hoping she trusts me enough to not freak out about it. I've never given her reason to think I'd do something reckless or stupid."

"And what if she's angry or hurt?" Haley didn't like the idea that this might distress her in any way when the whole purpose was to help her. "Will you be able to handle that?

Nathan shrugged, but she could tell he too was worried about it, "I won't pretend I don't care, or deny that it'll be difficult. She's my mother and I'd do most anything for her happiness, but it's not going to stop me from doing what I need to do. At least she'll still be here to be angry."

Haley knew he meant what he said, but didn't think it would be as easy as he made it sound, "Are you sure about not inviting her, or anyone else to the wedding?" she asked. She was still surprised that's the way he'd said he wanted it when they'd discussed it the day before, "Don't you want your mom and dad there?"

"Of course I do," Nathan answered her, setting his drink down and rubbing his hand through his dark hair. "It would be wonderful if this were all normal and happy and our friends and family were by our sides, but that's not what we've got. I can't imagine either of my parents being excited for us anytime soon and I don't...I can't do it with them there in protest."

Haley understood. It was one of the same reasons she wasn't inviting her best friends or even most of her brothers and sisters, "My parents are going to be there and I think I'm going to invite Taylor, since she already knows. I hate that you won't have anyone there for you."

"I'll have you," he told her, leaning over and bumping shoulders, "that's all I need."

Haley rolled her eyes at his flattery, "What about Q? He knows, right?"

"He won't be able to come," Nathan sighed, "but I texted him last night and told him."

"He'll be here then," Haley said confidently. "He won't miss it."

"How do you know? You've met him once," Nathan raised an eyebrow.

"But you talk about him all the time," Haley pointed out, turning her body so one foot was curled up under her and she was facing him. "It wouldn't take more than a few minutes to see how he feels about you anyway. You're his brother and he loves you. If there's any way he can make it, he will."

Nathan smiled as she reassured him, "You're right...but he really won't be able to come. He has a game and I'd be pissed if he skipped it for this," he took a deep breath. "I knew that before I came, so I just need to suck it up and deal with it. We have work to do before I leave."

"Actually," she winced as she stood. "I hate to do this, but I need to go to school or I won't be able to go to my ceremony tonight. You need," she bent over and picked up a pile of newspapers, dropping them on his lap, "to look for somewhere to live."

* * *

"Already?" the man leaned back in his leather chair. "I had a feeling the twerp would try something like this, but I didn't expect it this soon. I'm impressed, I guess maybe he's got a little of his old man in him after all."

"This is not good news," the man on the other end reminded him. "You need to hold onto that money until we can find a way to get that trust overturned."

"Don't worry so much. I'm still in control," he shook his head at his assistant's naiveté, "There's no way this marriage is real and if I put some pressure on, I'll be able to prove it. It won't be a problem for long."

"Are you sure? You were also convinced you'd receive enough money in the will to cover your debts," the younger man pointed out. "It may not be as easy as you think."

"The kid is 17 and has no idea what he's doing," he let the jab slide for the moment, "I won't let him take what should be mine."

* * *

Nathan hung up the phone and reached back to rub his neck. He'd called several apartment buildings and made appointments to see four of the spaces. Unfortunately, only two of them had 2 bedroom units available and each one only had 1 remaining.

The door behind him opened and he turned, expecting to see Haley telling him goodbye. He needed to get going if he was going to make it home by nightfall and as much as he liked Haley's parents, he didn't really want to stay with them all afternoon while she was gone.

"I thought we should talk before you go," Mr. James sat, feeling a little short, despite his own 6ft frame, next to the long-legged teen. "There's some things that need said if you're going to marry my baby."

Nathan nodded, not sure what to expect from the older man, but knowing he needed to hear him out Giving them the okay couldn't have been an easy decision for him, but as relieved as Nathan was, he didn't feel comfortable having this discussion, especially when his emotions were as confusing as they were at the moment. "I just want you to know how grateful I am that you're allowing us to do this," he started, "I wasn't sure you would."

Jimmy sighed, "I didn't really want to," he reminded Nathan, "but my wife convinced me to trust my daughter and she trusts you. So I need you to tell me I'm not making a huge mistake."

"I don't know that you aren't," Nathan admitted, "I'm not sure what I've done to earn her trust, but she's important to me. I can promise I would never purposely do anything to hurt her."

"I guess I can't ask for much more than that," Jimmy accepted the honest response and respected the boy for not pretending he had all the answers. "I'm going to be frank with you. My wife seems to think there's more to this marriage than just a need for money. Is she right?"

Nathan was silent, surprised at the question. He'd expected her father to question him about taking care of her and treating her right, but he didn't know how to answer this, "I care about Haley, a lot actually," he eventually started, not sure how to explain his feelings, "but if you're asking me if I would've come here without my mom's situation hanging over my head, or if I'm madly in love with her, the answer is no. We're 17 and we both have so many plans and dreams...I just wouldn't have...I wasn't going to..." He'd been going round and round with himself over them for weeks and despite his decision to ask for her help, he wasn't really any closer to having an answer. "I don't think we should complicate things."

"So you're dead set on a divorce?" Jimmy prodded a little further. His wife went on her instinct, but he wanted more assurance than that. After all, he was trusting his daughter's life and happiness to this young man, one who'd just flat out said he didn't love her.

"Probably an annulment," Nathan corrected him, "and I wouldn't say that I'm set on it, I just..." he sighed, "I don't know what's going to happen sir. I like your daughter a lot, but this isn't exactly the best situation to test the waters of a relationship, not to mention our different plans for the future. I think it's best for both of us if we just stay friends."

Mr. James started to laugh and Nathan was taken aback, "I was being serious..."

He clapped the younger man on the back, "The best laid plans of mice and men..."

Nathan shook his head, "I don't understand."

"Things rarely turn out the way we plan them son. Did you plan on leaving your school and getting married? Did you plan on your mom getting sick? Did you think you'd ever inherit millions of dollars?" he waited for the understanding shake of his future-son-in-law's head. "Plans are great, but sometimes, actually a lot of times, they change and we're forced to adapt with them."

"So you're telling me I shouldn't plan?" his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I'm telling you that things can and usually do change, sometimes without you even realizing it and often for the better. You just have to be willing and able to accept those changes when they come," he leaned back against the railing, "Did you know that growing up I wanted to be a singer?" he smiled at the surprised shake of the boy's head, "For years, I was in a band and we had a pretty good following. It was all I thought I wanted, but by the time we got an offer for a record deal, I'd met my Lydia and wasn't willing to leave her for an 8 month tour. My dreams had changed without me even realizing it. I turned it down and asked her to marry me the very next day."

"Do you ever regret it?" Nathan wondered aloud, still reeling from the unexpected news, "Giving it all up?" He hadn't even known the man was musical, although it helped explain his daughter's ability. What had it been like to be so close to your dreams and pass on them? It seemed like it would be so easy to become bitter and resent the ones you'd given it up for.

"I wish I had the income I could've had," he joked, "but I've never regretted the life I got in exchange. My family has been better than any rock tour, or 10, I could've gone on. They're a dream I didn't even know I wanted and then realized I wouldn't be able to live without." He could tell that he'd said enough on the subject and knew Nathan would be thinking about it in the coming days. He thought about the more immediate future and decided one more push might be in order, "I know you want to get back home, but you might want to wait and go to this thing tonight."

"The ceremony? I didn't think it was a big deal," Nathan tried to recall what Haley had even said about it, other than the offhand mention. "What's it for?"

"National Honor's Society," Mr. James stood up and wiped off the back of his pants , "I know Haley hasn't let on, but it's important to her. She'd never ask, but I think she'd really like it if you came. It's the kind of thing husband's do for their wives," he winked. He started to walk into the house before he turned back. "Real marriage isn't just about love and passion. They're a good start, but the best ones are built on friendship, commitment, and sacrifice."

* * *

Haley straightened her skirt and looked over the notes for her speech. As president of the NHS, she would be giving the opening remarks and the message to the new inductees. This would be her fourth and final one of these ceremonies, the second as the President. She remembered her first one, when she was so young and inexperienced, how excited she was leading up to it. _She was such a nerd._ She'd heard all the others talking about their friends and family who would be in attendance and it wasn't until the day of that she realized her parents weren't going to make it back in time from her brother's and she was going to attend alone. She probably could've gotten someone like Lucas to come if she'd tried, but she hadn't wanted to bother anyone and convinced herself it wasn't a big deal anyway. This time though would be different. Her parents were coming for the first time and while it wouldn't be the cheering section some of the other students seemingly had, it would be so much better than previous years.

She checked her phone, having made Nathan promise he'd text her when he got to his mother's. He should've been there by now and she was a little worried she hadn't heard anything. After all, he was exhausted and most people didn't even know where he was at the moment. She considered calling him, but she didn't want to distract him if he was still driving.

"It's time to get started," Mrs. Allen, the program adviser alerted her. "Haley, I need you to lead the group in."

She stuck her phone in her purse and grabbed her note cards. She hoped Nathan's talk with his mom went well, but It was time to get out on there. She took her place and led the group onto the stage, heading to the podium as the other students took their seats. She scanned the room while she waited for the audience to quiet and didn't see her parents. They'd promised to be there, but the two seats she'd saved for them were empty.

"Welcome to the National Honor Society Induction ceremony for 2006. The NHS is a group dedicated to creating enthusiasm for scholarship; to stimulating a desire to render service; to promoting leadership; and to developing character. All of the students you see up here on the podium have shown these qualities and their grades and service have qualified them to be part of this prestigious group." She paused and looked around again before continuing her speech, disappointed that she still hadn't found her parents in the sea of faces. "This program isn't just about grades, but about service and making our community a better place. These people have done that..." she gestured toward the group behind her, continuing along her prepared notes until she handed the podium over to the advisor and headed for her seat.

"What's Nathan doing here?" Mouth asked her as she took her place.

"What? Where?" with his help her eyes finally found her parents, surprised to see Nathan dressed up and sitting alongside them on the far side. She wondered what he was doing there when he was supposed to have headed home and was glad she hadn't known about his presence until then. If she'd been aware when she first walked up on stage, she would've been a nervous wreck. She caught his eye and he winked at her, causing her cheeks to heat up with what she was sure was a furious blush. She looked away for a moment, but was drawn right back to him. He looked so comfortable sitting there with her parents and she had visions of what could be if this marriage were for real, of them all doing things together and being a real family.

"Haley," she was drawn out of her musings by the whispered voice and elbow of her friend, "it's your turn."

"Oh," she was embarrassed to have been caught not paying attention and hurried to the front to accept her certificate. For the last few minutes of the ceremony she forced herself to listen to the speaker, only glancing at Nathan and her parents when it was over and the crowd applauded. She was still unsure why he wasn't in Virginia, but he looked so handsome and she couldn't help but beam that he was there for her.

They filed out of the auditorium and into the nearby cafeteria where they had punch and cookies set up on long tables along the wall. Haley immediately started searching for her contingent but was blocked by all the taller people around her, "Hey there," Nathan found her in the crowded room, tapping her on the shoulder from behind. "Nice speech."

"Thanks," she grinned as she turned to face him, "I didn't expect you to be here."

"I figured if it was important to you, I should stay," he moved closer and pulled her into his side a bit to avoid the movement of people around them. "Besides, if we're going to expect people to believe us it wouldn't look good for me to miss it."

Haley's excited smile dipped a little at the reminder that their relationship was for show, "Right...that's a good idea. I'm sure you being here will get people talking."

"Hey honey," her parents made their way to her side, giving her a chance to step away from Nathan to accept their hugs. She said all the right things and smiled at their praise, but all the while she kept thinking about Nathan's comments from a moment earlier. She'd been so happy to see him there in support of her, but what he'd said made it bittersweet. Would everything they did for the next year have this same outcome? Was she going to end up considering every move, every word and wondering if was real or only for show? Was she getting herself into something that would slowly drive her crazy?

Julian walked by and complimented her speech before getting into a conversation with Nathan that had her wondering if they were talking about her honestly, or if Nathan was using it as another chance to further their deception.

"Don't," her mother whispered to her, forcing her to turn her head away from the guys and leading her a few feet away. "You can't worry about it."

Haley's shoulders slumped at the rebuke, "It's hard not to."

"I know," her mother pulled her back into a hug, "This isn't going to be easy. You know that right? If you're going to let this bother you already, you should quit now before you both get hurt."

Haley nodded, "I guess I just underestimated it a little."

"It's not too late to back out," her mother gave her the option, "No one would blame you. Not even Nathan."

Haley shook her head no, "I'm not a quitter. I promised to do this and I will, I just need to accept things for what they are..."

"He cares for you too you know," Lydia tilted her daughter's face up to look in her eyes. "I know you're worried it's all for show, but it's not. Not entirely anyway. I'm sure of it."

Haley looked over, smiling as she watched her father, Julian, Nathan, and now Mouth in a conversation that had all of them laughing, "I just wish that it wasn't always about helping someone, or getting better grades, or getting invited to the right party. I know this is going to sound selfish, but it would be really nice if for once it was just about me, that I was enough."

"Oh Haley Bob, you are so much more than enough," Lydia pulled her into her chest, "Guys are really dumb sometimes, but I think Nathan is a good one and he'll get there. Give it some time and no matter how much you want to, don't push him. He has to figure it out for himself or you'll never know if it's real."

"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"I thought that would be obvious. I'm assuming it's too late to guard your heart?" Haley nodded in affirmation, "Then you go stake your claim, enjoy the attention of a good looking man," Lydia's eyes crinkled as she smiled, "and the jealousy of all the girls around. Take advantage of the role you're playing and have some fun for once."

Haley looked around and noticed that several of the other girls were doing their best to discretely check out the hot new guy in their midst. Her mother raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in the guys' direction, encouraging her to mark her territory. She took a deep breath and headed back that way, squeezing past her father and pressing herself against Nathan's side. He jumped a little in surprise, but placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer without even stopping his conversation.

Julian and Mouth both clearly noticed the move, as did the girls closest to them, their mouths falling open in surprise at the clear message being displayed, "I um, didn't know you two were...together," Mouth blurted out.

"We weren't..."

"It just happened," they started at the same time. Haley gestured for Nathan to continue. They'd decided to keep it as close to reality as possible, but she wanted to hear his version. "We were close over the summer and we kept in touch as much as we could when I left, but it wasn't enough. I missed her like crazy so I came back to see if she felt the same way and we ended up getting together. And, since I can't stand it when we're apart, I'm moving here to be with her."

He looked down at her and she was nervously biting at her lip, lips that he once again found himself staring at and wondering how they would taste. He wondered how she would react if he bent down and kissed her then. He figured he could do that under the guise of their plan, but he hesitated anyway, knowing that there was a good chance once wouldn't be enough. He couldn't let himself get carried away and caught up in emotions. It wouldn't be fair to either of them if he let himself fall for her. This was about saving his mom and he needed to remember that, no matter how tempting she was or how perfectly she fit against him. She turned a little and his hand accidentally grazed the side of her breast, causing her to jump and him to groan. If his body was reacting to their innocent contact in the school cafeteria, there was no telling how he'd handle any kind of serious playacting they might be called to do. He looked down at her and knew that meant a lot of cold showers in his future.

"Haley?" Brooke came up behind them, "What's going on? Nathan?"

"Oh," Haley turned, pulling away from Nathan as if she could hide the position they'd just been in, "um, I didn't expect you to be here."

"Well, my best friend and my boyfriend were both being honored. I thought I should come. Of course, I got here late and ended up in the very last row..." Brooke started to complain, pulling Haley away from the group before remembering the real topic, "it doesn't matter. I want to know why you were just all cuddly with Nathan."

"Um, well, you see, we decided to...um...date," Haley fumbled through the lie. It was one thing to pretend with other people, but it was going to be horrible lying to Brooke. "He's moving here."

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Brooke crossed her arms, "I saw you earlier at school and you didn't say a word."

"Sorry, I didn't know..."

"Is this why you've been sick?" she put quotation marks around the word, "because you've apparently been lying to all of us."

"It's all happened fast and..."

"You didn't think your friends deserved to know about it?" Brooke was angry. "I encouraged you to go for it when he was here before. I told you you'd be a good couple and when it happens, you keep it a secret from me?"

"I was going to tell you," Haley tried to defend herself.

"When? After you got married?" Brooke continued and Haley's eyes got wide.

 _How did she know about that? Where did she find out?_ Haley started to panic, "Um, I don't know why..."

"It's my fault," Nathan came up behind the girls, placing his hands on Haley's shoulders. "I'm leaving tonight and I didn't want her to tell anyone until we could do it together, but then I decided I couldn't miss her speech so I stayed. Sorry babe," he leaned down and kissed her on the temple. "I blew it."

"It's um...okay, I mean, I'm glad you stayed," she tried to act normal despite her fluttering heart. "I guess we don't need to worry about how to tell them anymore."

Nathan smiled his most charming smile as he turned back to Brooke, "Don't be upset with her. We're still figuring things out."

"I'm not mad," Brooke sighed, looking at from him to her best friend, "I just thought you would've told me. I can't speak for the others, but I'm happy for you, both of you."

"Thank you," Haley stepped forward and hugged her, "I have a feeling I'm going to need that support when we tell Lucas."

"Why would you need my help?" Brooke was confused, "He likes Nathan okay now, doesn't he?"

Haley looked back at Nathan, knowing there was so much more than just them dating that Lucas would have to accept, "I just have a feeling."


	28. Chapter 28

I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to get this up. Life has been beyond crazy and I just haven't had time to work on it. Hopefully with the end of the school year in a couple of days, things will get easier. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this.

28

Nathan got up and quietly made his way to the kitchen, trying to keep his barefeet from hitting any squeaky floorboards as he walked past his mother's room. He wasn't exactly looking forward to the conversation he was about to have with his her, but thought maybe if he made her breakfast it might help his cause. It wasn't that he thought he was making a mistake, but they'd always been close and keeping things from her went against all of his natural inclinations. He hoped someday she'd understand why he kept her in the dark, but in the meantime, he had to be strong and play his role. Today, that meant convincing her he wanted to move.

He started grabbing things out of the fridge and ten minutes later he was putting pancakes on the griddle and scrambling eggs when he heard a noise indicating his mom was awake. He stepped into the hallway to greet her, but instead of being on the expected path from her bedroom, she was closing the door behind her as she entered the apartment.

"Oh, Nathan," her hands flew to her chest in surprise, her heart thumping at the unexpected sight of her son, "What are you doing here?"

"I was making you breakfast," he held up the spatula as proof, his eyes narrowing as he took in her rumpled appearance, "I thought you were still sleeping. I didn't realize you were...out."

She set her purse down on the table, feeling awkward at the situation. Even though he was grown, she still felt funny being caught coming in after a night away. She scrambled to come up with something to break the ice, but her nose interrupted her train of thought, "Is something burning?"

Nathan's eyes widened and he quickly ran to try and rescue the food, finding that other than a few of the eggs sticking to the pan, it was mostly still in good shape. She hadn't followed him and while he scooped it onto plates, he contemplated the implications of his mother's early morning entrance. He assumed she'd spent the night at Patrick's and wasn't sure how he felt about that. Obviously, she wasn't a virgin, but as far as he knew, she'd not been with anyone else for as long as he'd been old enough to notice. Of course, that wasn't exactly something a mother probably shared with her son. In fact, he wasn't exactly thrilled that he knew now. He was happy for her of course, but it wasn't something someone wanted to think about concerning their parent, especially one who was single. He shuddered at the thought and was glad he at least hadn't walked in on the two here the previous night. He might have been scarred for life.

While Nathan was finishing breakfast, his mother used the chance to try and figure out why he was there. She sighed and pulled her hair back into a ponytail, securing it with a band she'd had around her wrist. She figured her son being home during the week when he should be at school wasn't a good thing and she prayed she wasn't about to have another burden added to their struggles. She couldn't imagine he was in trouble, he'd been as good a son as any mother could ever want, but if something was wrong, she wasn't sure she was up to the task of getting through what was already on their plate. In fact, just the previous night Patrick had tried to convince her to tell him about all of problems they were facing, but she kept putting it off. He'd been through too much already and she didn't want to place that kind of burden on his shoulders, broad though they may be. She knew if she told him he would try to help, but as far as she was concerned, as mature and responsible as he often was, she was the parent and it was her job to figure a way out.

She looked at the clock and realized she didn't have much time if she was going to get down to accept the liquor delivery scheduled for 8. She stepped into the kitchen to tell her son that she was going to have to postpone whatever he needed to talk to her about when he turned, plates in hand. "I'm dropping out of school."

"What?" she gasped, grabbing the back of the chair in front of her. This couldn't be happening. Wasn't she just thinking how responsible he was? "I don't...what?"

"I don't mean dropping out, dropping out...I mean...crap," Nathan wiped his hands down his face at the complete messing up of the speech he'd thought he had all figured out. "What I mean is, I want to leave school and move to Tree Hill."

Deb breathed a small sigh of relief at the clarification, but her confusion quickly overroad that reaction. "I don't understand. You didn't even want to go there and then you were excited about coming back home." She looked at him more closely, thinking about the last several weeks, "Does this have something to do with Haley?"

Nathan tilted his head to the side, surprised that she'd immediately jump to that conclusion. "Why would you guess that?"

"Because it's obvious you missed her and you texted her every chance you got," his mother sat down in the chair, relaxing a little now that she was convinced she'd figured out his reasoning. "I thought it was pretty clear when you came for your birthday that you had feelings for her and your moping after you came back reaffirmed that opinion."

"I didn't mope...I just..." he started to defend his behavior and tell her that they were just friends, but caught himself and bit his tongue. They needed people, especially those closest to them, to believe they were in love and he was about to argue against having feelings for her. He reminded himself that if they already thought they were into each other, it would make it easier, even if it wasn't true. He swallowed his pride and smiled, "She's pretty great," he said instead, shrugging his shoulders. "I've never met anyone like her."

"I liked her, you know I did," Deb agreed, "but I've got to say I'm awfully surprised at your decision. You've been dead set against dating and you worked so hard to get into that school and just months ago fought to stay there. Are you really sure this is what you want to do? Have you thought it all the way through? You haven't even known her that long..."

"It feels like I have," Nathan told her, realizing it was the truth. It did feel like he'd known her so much longer. In fact, it was hard to believe she hadn't been part of his life just months earlier. "I can talk to her about things I haven't even told Q and somehow she makes it seem better. Even if nothing has changed, it doesn't seem as bad after sharing it with her," he shook his head, feeling like he'd said too much. He switched to one of the reasons he'd mapped out, "It's not just her either, I want to get to know Dan and Lucas better and I know we could use the money instead of spending it on my school."

"The money is fine Nathan," Deb argued, "don't do this because of that."

Nathan looked at her, disappointed that she still wasn't sharing the truth with him. He hoped it was because she didn't want to worry him and not that she didn't think he couldn't handle it, but either way he was more determined than ever to fix things for them on his own. He didn't need to be shielded from the truth, especially when he could help. "I have a lot of reasons. This is what I want."

Deb heard the doorbell connected to their delivery door ring and stood up, "You're old enough to make your own decisions so I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I think it's a mistake." She sighed and looked back down at her son, so grown up but always her little boy, "We need to talk about this some more, but I need to go downstairs for a few minutes," she placed her hand on his shoulder, "I know I can't stop you, but I can ask you to really think hard and make sure this is the right thing for you. I don't want you to have any regrets. Believe me, life is hard enough without always wondering what if."

* * *

"Please tell me it isn't true," the Oak Hill coach stood as Nathan entered his office, his reaction telling him that it was in fact happening. "If it has anything to do with that starting fiasco, I'll tell the board to stick it and move you back in. I only went along with it so easily because I think it will actually benefit you to move to the point."

Nathan shook his head, "That doesn't have anything to do with it. It's entirely for personal reasons."

"Are these reasons you can share?"

"I'm sorry, I can't," Nathan wasn't going to pass out information he was keeping from even his own mother. "If there was any way I could work it out, I would love to stay, but it's just not possible. I have to be in Tree Hill right now."

"So there's nothing I can do to convince you?"

Nathan shook his head, "I wish there were. I'm going to miss playing here. It's been an amazing three years."

"I guess Whitey is a lucky guy," Coach Handy shook his head, "I thought it was only at poker."

"You know Coach Durham?" Nathan was surprised at the connection. "He didn't mention anything..."

"Coaching is a rather small fraternity. We've known each other for years. Hell of a coach, but boy was I surprised to hear from him last night," Handy explained. "We had a good long talk."

"He told you I was going there?" Nathan hadn't told his new coach anything definitive and wasn't sure he liked that he'd gone behind his back to tell his news. It felt like an invasion of privacy from someone he'd instinctively liked and trusted.

"No, the office told me when they sent me a copy of your withdraw form. It sure did help to explain why he called me out of the blue though," he leaned back against his chair. "He told me he'd met you while you were visiting family and asked a few questions, but mostly we talked about general coaching, our schedules, our chances for the season. Of course both of our answers will be a lot different if we have the same conversation again anytime soon."

Nathan was relieved at the answer, glad that he wasn't wrong in his assessment of his new coach although he still found them knowing each other weird..

"Have you considered the implications of this Nate?" the coach felt the need to ask. "Tree Hill is a small school that doesn't get a lot of attention and hasn't made the playoffs in several years. I know you've had several scholarship offers already, but until you sign your letter of intent, those can be easily withdrawn. If you have a difficult season there, you might lose what you've worked so hard for."

"I'm aware of the risk, but I know how hard I work and what I can do. I'm willing to bet on myself to make it work," Nathan wasn't afraid to admit. If he didn't have confidence in himself he wouldn't have ever made it as far as he had in the first place. "I won't let myself fail."

"I certainly wouldn't bet against you," the older man acknowledged. "You've proven yourself to me over and over again since you came here as a scrawny 14 year old who got pushed all over the court but had a hell of a jump shot. We're going to miss you."

"Just keep an eye out for Q would you?" Nathan asked. "We mostly hung out together and I don't want him to be a loner when I'm gone. Oh, and make sure someone throws him at least one lob a game. He gets cranky without his dunks."

The coach laughed, "I'll do my best and you do the same. Since you'll be in a different state and not on our schedule, I can root for you to show them what you've learned here. Don't embarrass me by being anything less than I know you're capable of."

* * *

"Yes he's hot, yes he's Luke's brother, no there aren't any more coming," Brooke pushed her way through the people surrounding Haley at her locker, "geez people, let her breathe."

The warning bell rang and the group dispersed, allowing Haley to relax and finally grab her things, "Who knew showing up at a nerdfest would cause all this drama?"

Haley rolled her eyes at Brooke's comment but agreed with her meaning. She had figured a few people would've noticed, but apparently people had sent pictures and, combined with a bunch of texts, they had put the rumor mill on high alert. It wouldn't have been that big of a deal that he was a hot guy or that he was dating Haley, but for those who didn't meet him over the summer, a new Scott in town was huge, especially with those other factors thrown in.

"I think I'm feeling sick again." She was already tired of the attention and it hadn't even been a week. She couldn't help but miss her mostly drama-free, although crazy busy, life. As much as she missed Nathan and wanted him to come back, she dreaded the commotion that would ensue.

"Oh don't be a baby," Brooke told her as they headed to class, "this kind of stuff happens to me all the time. It's already dying down."

"Until he gets back and then it'll start all over," Haley pointed out, "Luke still won't talk to me."

"I don't get what his problem is," Brooke put her hands on her hips, "you didn't tell any of us and he's the only one holding it against you."

"I don't know," Haley was frustrated by his actions, "I've never been a jerk about who he was with. I always support him and want him to be happy."

"Well, you weren't exactly nice to him when he and Peyton got together," Brooke countered.

"Because he was already with you!" Haley was annoyed that it felt like she was defending herself. "I was angry that he cheated on you, not that he chose someone else. It's not fair that I'm supposed accept everything he does and cheer him on, but I make one decision he doesn't like and acts like I have the plague."

"Hey, I'm on your side and I was so grateful when you stuck up for me back then, it's just..." Brooke shrugged, "I know you've been best friends forever and you think he's better than he really is, but he's a guy and sometimes they just suck."

Haley chuckled at her statement, but suspected it was deeper than that, "I think maybe I need to confront him. I don't want him still acting like this when Nathan gets back."

"How's it going on his end?"

"Not much better," Haley sighed. "There's so much he has to do that he's pretty stressed. On top of that, his mom thinks he's making a mistake and he's not exactly thrilled about leaving his school and everything. It's got to be hard on him giving up so much to do this."

"But it's his choice right?" Brooke lifted one eyebrow, "I mean, it's not like you're making him move here. He's coming because he wants to."

"Right," Haley shook herself for the little slip and glad that it went unnoticed, "I just want him to be as happy as possible."

"Ahh, young love," Brooke grinned, her dimples flashing, "I can't wait until he gets back. Watching you two is going to be so much fun. We have to double date."

Haley cringed at the idea of her and Nathan sitting side by side, awkwardly pretending to be enamored with each other while Brooke and Julian were all over each other, "Sure," she sighed. "Sounds fun."

* * *

Nathan sat down on his bed and looked around the room he'd been waiting to live in for the last three years of being in the smaller underclassmen dorms. Despite the strict rules, he was going to miss this place, "We've been through this Q, it's the only way."

"I know, but it's going to suck here without you man," Q threw another shirt in his friend's bag. It's going to hurt the team a lot, you're our leader Nate."

"You'll do fine without me and you're a captain too," Nathan protested, not wanting to keep thinking about how he was letting them down. "You know I hate doing this to you guys, but even if there was a way to still play here, which there isn't, it wouldn't be fair to Haley to ask her to move. She's already doing so much for me," Nathan couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that she was sacrificing so much for him. "She's lying to her friends and changing her whole life. The least I can do is let her stay where she's comfortable."

"Did you think that maybe it would be easier to move and not HAVE to lie to everyone all the time?"

Nathan nodded, "the only way that works is if we move somewhere and start all over. That would be even harder to explain and we'd have no help. This way is best, especially since her parents know the truth."

"I still can't believe they're letting her marry you," Q shook his head, "they must be nuts."

Nathan took the teasing in stride, but told him honestly, "They trust Haley and for some reason, she has faith in me. I just hope I don't let her down. This whole thing feels like a runaway train. It's scary and I want to jump to safety, but it's the only way to get where I need to go on time and I have to take the risk."

"What's your mom think?" Q couldn't help but wonder how she reacted to the news of his engagement. He would've loved to be a fly on the wall to witness how that conversation went down. Deb Lee could be fierce, especially when it came to her son.

"She was hesitant, but gave her support," Nathan shrugged, trying not to think about the tears and doubt in her eyes, "I thought she probably would."

"She's okay with you getting married? I half expected you to show up here ready to go back to class after she kicked your butt for even suggesting it," Quentin joked. "How'd you pull that off?"

Nathan ducked his head and mumbled something that his friend couldn't quite catch, "Please tell me you didn't say what I think you did."

"I didn't tell her okay?" Nathan closed his eyes and let his head fall back against his headboard, wanting to just go to sleep and take a few hour break from worrying. "I don't want her to know until it's a done deal."

"Remind me not to be anywhere near you when she finds out," Q shivered, "she's going to be pissed."

"Maybe not," Nathan protested, opening his eyes. "I mean, she wants me to be happy and as far as she knows that would be the only reason to get married, because I was so in love."

"Nate, you're her only child and you're 17," Q shook his head as if his friend were crazy, "she's going to be hurt and most likely angry. Love be damned."

"Probably," Nathan stared up at the ceiling, "but I really think this is one of those times it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

"You should just tell he,r you know," Quentin tried one last time to sway him.

"I've given her chances to tell me, even asked her straight out how the money was and she's determined to keep it from me. If that's the way she wants it, that's how it's going to go. I'll fix things on my own."

* * *

Haley marched into the cafe early for her shift, knowing that Lucas was supposed to be there and it would be hard for him to avoid her. She spotted him through the window into the back room and said a quick hello to Karen on the way by. He wouldn't escape this time.

"Listen Luke," she started as soon as she entered the kitchen, "I'm sick of your.."

"I'm sorry," he beat her to it. "I've been a jerk."

Haley was taken aback and her eyes narrowed in suspicion, "You're sorry?" Lucas almost never apologized unless he was cornered.

He nodded, giving her his patented puppy dog expression, "I'm not even mad at you, not really."

"So you're mad at Nathan and you're taking it out on me? That's fair," Haley wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. "I don't know why I'm surprised, it's obviously too much for you to be happy for us."

"No, I mean, I'm not really mad at him either I guess and I want to be happy for you, I do. It's just... my dad is already pushing me and complaining that I'm not as good as he is or as dedicated. Now he's going to be on the same team and the comparisons are just going to get worse. This is supposed to be my year, my team and he's going to screw it all up for me."

"It's always about you," Haley shook her head, "You're all worried about what you might lose, but did you think about what he's giving up?

"It's his choice though. No one is making him come here. We don't even want him."

Haley had to restrain herself from screaming at him. He obviously didn't know the truth but that didn't make it any easier to listen to him be so callous.

"He's not coming to take anything away, he wants to help you win. If you work together, it could end up being good for both of you."

"Because there are always scouts looking for the second best player on a crappy team," Lucas spat sarcastically, "Yeah, that sounds reasonable. I guess I should send him a thank you note. Maybe I should add a PS about stealing my best friend."

"You're impossible," she shook her head. "When are you going to quit acting like a 5 year old?"

"You're right," Lucas surprised her again. He sighed, "I don't think he's good enough for you. I know the type. Good looking star athlete that's used to getting any girl he wants...I don't want you to get hurt."

"He's not like that," Haley argued, "besides, you just described yourself too."

"And we both know I can be an ass," Lucas tried, his lips turning up on one side. "Please be careful."

"I'm glad you worry about me, but I know what I'm doing," Haley told him, her anger disappearing at his genuine care, "and you aren't losing me. If I haven't given up on you yet, you should know I'll always be here for you."

* * *

Quentin walked into his best friend's dorm room for probably the last time with a heavy heart. He knew Nathan was doing what he felt was best, but he couldn't help but mourn the loss of an era. The two of them had been together almost every day since they were children and had planned to continue it all the way through college. Now Nathan was leaving and they would spend the rest of the year 5 hours apart. It was certainly going to be an adjustment.

"I still can't believe you're actually doing this. It's crazy," Quentin said as he approached from behind. "I don't know what..." he paused as he noticed a little black box being turned over in his friend's hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

Nathan nodded and Q slapped him on the back, "I knew you had some romance in you."

"No, I mean, it's not about that," Nathan countered, his tone defensive. "I just figure she should have one if we want people to believe it's a love match."

"Can I see it?" he pointed to the box, curious to see what Nathan would've picked out. He wasn't exactly someone who spent time in jewelry stores and as far as he knew Nathan hadn't ever bought any for anyone, even his mom.

He showed him the cluster diamond ring, "it's not much but it seems like something she'd like."

Q shook his head as he looked at the little piece of jewelry, "You should just admit that you're gone for her."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "You know how girls are. Everyone will want to see a ring. It's expected. She's doing me an unbelievable favor and the least I can do is try and do it right and not embarrass her."

"You keep telling yourself that, buddy," Quentin chuckled at his friend's discomfort. It was great watching him go through the stages of falling in love for the first time. "How many stores did you go to before you picked that thing?

"Why does that matter?

"How many?" Quentin was loving watching him squirm. He wished he wasn't going to miss the rest of the saga. It wouldn't be the same teasing him over the phone.

"5," Nathan admitted, immediately trying to defend himself, "I didn't see anything I could afford that I thought she'd like. They just weren't her."

"If it was just for appearances, you would've just bought the first thing in your price range instead of spending hours searching for the right one," Quentin pointed out. "You're already whipped."

"It's not like that," Nathan stood up and started to pace. He turned back to his friend and sighed, "I like her and I want her to be happy, that doesn't mean I'm in love with her or anything."

"You know it wouldn't be the end of the world if you were," Q shrugged. "She seemed pretty cool and she was super hot. I would totally nail her."

"Geez Q, don't say things like that about her," Nathan was uncomfortable and annoyed. "Can we please stop talking about this?"

Quentin considered taking it one step further, enjoying the rise he was getting out of his friend, but decided he'd lighten up. Nathan was already having a hard enough time dealing with his burgeoning feelings without him pushing him, "Okay, no more talk about your fiancee. When are you heading out?"

Nathan shot him a dirty look but was grateful to change the subject, "I'm supposed to be there by 5. We're going to the courthouse and the wedding is at 6."

"That fast?" Q whistled, "I guess there's kind of a time crunch. So you have everything planned?"

"I guess. I have the rings and my suit. What else would we need?"

Q shook his head, "flowers? I mean, I know you keep saying this isn't a real wedding, but it is. And, since no girl wants to get married in a courthouse, the least you could do is get her a bouquet."

"Okay, I can do that," Nathan nodded, making a mental note to make the stop on his way. "It seems like I'm on one of those rides that just spins round and round," he groaned. "I feel like I'm going to throw up and I just want to get off and back to normal speed."

"I wish I could come with you and have your back," Q lamented. "I don't like you doing this alone."

"You have a game tonight and you can't miss it," Nathan reminded him. "Win it for me so I don't have to feel guilty about leaving and take care of yourself . I'm pretty sure I'm going to have enough to deal with without worrying about your sorry ass."

* * *

"You look beautiful," Lydia told her daughter as they put the last touches on her hair. "You're going to knock his socks off."

Haley turned one way and then the other, smoothing her dress and examining herself in the mirror. "Do you think it's too much to wear a white dress? Maybe I should put on something less fancy. It's just the courthouse."

"I think it's perfect and you should stop worrying. Besides, he'll be here soon and we don't have time," Mrs. James shook her head at her normally unflappable daughter. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"It's what I need to do," Haley nodded. "I'd never forgive myself if didn't do everything I could to help him."

"I just don't want you to get your heart broken," her mother reached for her hands. "I know we haven't been here for you as much as we should've been, but we're here now. You can still change your mind."

"I know and it means a lot," Haley gave a watery smile, "but I'll be okay. I know he doesn't feel the way I do, but if doing this can help him be happy, it'll be worth it."

"Sometimes you're too grown up for your own good," Lydia wiped away her own tears before pulling her daughter in for a hug. "Just do me a favor and don't give up hope of being happy yourself. He might surprise you."

The doorbell rang and they pulled apart, taking a moment to touch up their make up before heading downstairs. Haley took a deep breath, "Here we go."

When they reached the bottom Nathan was standing in the living room talking to her father, both of them wearing black suits. "Wow Hales," Nathan stepped forward, "You look...really beautiful."

"Thanks," she smiled, "you don't look too bad yourself."

"I brought you these," he held out a bouquet of red roses with a silver ribbon tied around them, "I thought you might want some for the wedding."

Her smile grew as she accepted the flowers, leaning down to smell the fragrant blossoms, "They're perfect."

"I want to do this right so I um...I also brought you this," he held out the small black box and watched nervously as she opened it. "If you don't like it we can get something else," he hurriedly added, "I know it's not much, but I thought it looked like something you'd pick."

Haley's eyes welled back up with tears, "it's gorgeous," she shook her head, "but you didn't need to do this."

"Yes I did," Nathan reached for the box and took the ring out. "Your mom told me your size, but if it's not right, they can adjust it."

Haley looked over at her mother in disbelief, "You knew?"

Lydia shrugged, wrapping her arm around her husband's and leaning against his shoulder. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

"Well, as sweet as all this has been," Jimmy finally chimed in, opening the front door and gesturing to the outside, "we need to get going if we're going to be there on time. It's bad luck to be late for your own wedding."

"Who's getting married?" the person on the other side of the door asked.


	29. Chapter 29

Things have continued to be crazy around here, but should be settling down soon. As always, thank you for your patience waiting for these chapters and your comments and follows. I'll try to find more time to write now that school is out so I can get the updates back to a week or less. I'm actually happy with this chapter for once, so I hope you enjoy.

Ch 29

"Who's getting married?" Lucas asked the group in front of him. "I didn't know about any weddings..." he trailed off, looking at the group in front of them all dressed up. His gaze went to Haley who was wearing a long white dress, much dressier than anything she normally wore, and holding flowers, "Haley?"

"Um...What?" Haley had no idea what to say. It was one thing to keep things from him, another entirely to lie directly to his face, especially with so much evidence right in front of him. "I didn't expect you to stop by."

"I can see that," Lucas narrowed his eyes, "Where are you going?"

"To dinner," Haley told a half truth, they had planned on dinner after the wedding. She handed her mother her flowers and reached out for him, "Come on in and you can tell me what you came for." Lucas stepped in the door, his senses on high alert that something wasn't right as she led him across the room. They all looked anxious and they weren't friendly and welcoming like they normally were when he came over. He studied at all of them before coming back to Haley, "I just wanted to make sure we were okay."

"Of course we are," she quickly reassured him, "I can't ever stay mad at you. Is that all you were worried about?"

"What's going on here?" Lucas asked, looking back at the other three standing by the door. "What's this about a wedding?"

"Who said anything about a wedding?" Haley hedged. "I think maybe you heard wrong..."

"Why are you guys acting so strange?" Lucas was getting agitated. "There's something going on. What are you hiding?"

Nathan came over and placed his hand on her shoulder, "We need to get going or we're going to miss our...reservations."

Haley reached up her hand to cover his, "just give me another minute."

"What the hell is that?" Lucas caught the glint off her ring and everything suddenly made sense to him. Nathan's choice to give up his life and move to be with her, the awkwardness he'd just walked into, even Haley's tiredness of late. "You bastard." He stepped forward and punched Nathan in the jaw, causing him to stumble back. "I'll kill you for this," he followed his punch, throwing himself at the taller boy.

"Luke!" Haley shrieked as he lunged and landed on top of his brother, throwing another punch as Nathan tried to fight him off.

"Stop it Luke, please?" Haley wasn't sure what to do. She'd never seen her best friend lose it like that. "Dad!"

Nathan blocked the next punch and got enough leverage to hit the irate boy square in the nose before Jimmy managed to pull him off. He pushed himself up on one elbow and wiped a drop of blood from his chin, "You don't have a clue what's going on."

"I know you're a worthless piece of..."

Haley stepped in between them ,"Luke," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders and bracing her feet to hold him off as Nathan got to his feet, "Please." Jimmy was ready to intervene as well, standing next to Nathan and eyeing them both.

Haley took a deep breath and shook her head in dismay They weren't supposed to be at each other's throats again. They were supposed to get along and learn to be brothers, but at the moment they both looked ready to brawl and she wondered if she stepped out of the way if they would once again come to blows. She wasn't sure what to do to salvage the situation. She glanced over at Nathan and noticed that his eye was starting to swell and then back to Lucas whose nose was bleeding pretty heavily. She didn't particularly like what she was about to do, but didn't think she had much of a choice. They needed to be separated to calm down and she had to reason with her friend, "Come with me," she said to the blonde, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the hallway bathroom.

Nathan shook his head incredulously, "So that's how it's going to be?" he asked as they walked away. Haley sent him a pleading look but didn't change her mind. She'd have to soothe that situation later.

"Let's get you some ice for that eye," Lydia said, mirroring her daughter's actions with the dark haired Scott. "We don't want it to swell shut."

Nathan watched the retreating pair before letting the older woman tug him along, a harsh laugh of disbelief finding its way to the surface as she handed him a bag of peas, "this is unreal. He attacks me and she's taking care of him."

Lydia cringed at the harsh sound, knowing he wouldn't be happy with the way things played out. "They've been best friends forever. It's her automatic reaction to help him."

"And I'm supposed to just accept that?" Nathan tugged his tie loose.

"Well if you hadn't hit him back, she would've been taking care of you," Lydia took the peas from his hand and wrapped them in a towel before helping him put them gingerly to his face. "This should help keep swelling down."

"Was I just supposed to let him keep hitting me? Because I don't play punching bag for anyone," Nathan's frustration was coming off of him in waves. "I can't believe she's in there acting like he didn't start it."

"That's not what's happening at all. Actually, I'd consider yourself lucky right now. She's probably in there giving him a piece of her mind," Lydia chuckled. "She'll get the bleeding stopped and then

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Haley practically pushed him to sit on the closed toilet seat before grabbing a rag and wetting it in the sink. She moved toward him and started to dab at the blood covering his face, "Are you crazy?"

"He got you pregnant. How do you expect me to react?" Lucas winced at her gentle touch as his mind continued to go a mile a minute. "How could you let this happen?"

"He what?" Haley shrieked, thinking she must've heard him wrong. "Wait, where the hell did you get that idea?"

"Oh come on Hales," Lucas pushed her hand away from his face, and stood, "I'm not a genius like you, but even I could figure this one out. You've been exhausted and extra worried about money, you fainted, and even though you guys just became a couple, you're wearing a diamond ring and were heading for a wedding. Why else would you two get married so fast if there's not a baby?"

Haley's shoulders collapsed and she wiped her hands down her face. She had expected some people to think that was their reason, at least initially, but not her best friend. "I'm not pregnant Luke. I thought you knew me better than that."

"You're really not pregnant?" he asked and breathed a sigh of relief at her answering no. "But you were on the way to a wedding?" Lucas asked cautiously. Maybe he was wrong about it all and she was going to tell him about some distant cousin who was tying the knot. There was still a slight chance that his best friend hadn't completely lost her mind. "Please tell me I'm wrong and you weren't about to elope."

Haley sighed, handing him the rag and motioning for him to hold it to his face, "I can't. I mean, what you did was wrong and you owe Nathan a big apology, but we were...we are getting married."

"And you weren't even going to tell me?" Lucas was hurt. She'd always told him things, even ones she kept from other people, and this one was huge. "Does Brooke know? Or my dad?

"No," Haley admitted, "because I knew you would all freak out on us. We weren't going to tell anyone until after the fact."

"So if I hadn't shown up here, I would've missed your wedding," Lucas shook his head, "This isn't like you Hales. What are you thinking doing something so crazy? Did he pressure you into this?"

"No," she tried to find the words to explain without lying to him. She had to make him believe or no one would, so she spoke from her heart, "no...he's just...I'm in love with him Luke. I know I've always been the cautious, sensible type, but he makes me brave. He makes me want to try new things and believe I can be more than just tutor girl and best buddy... and he makes me happy."

"But marriage?" Lucas asked, not able to get past such a hurried decision about something so life altering, "I mean, I guess I can get the dating part...at least I can accept that, but this is a huge step Hales. You're 17."

"Listen Luke," Haley took a deep breath, "I'm not asking for your permission or even for your approval this time. I know you don't understand and you have every right to think I'm crazy, but this is something I have to do. Not for you, or anyone else, but for me. So you can either accept it and we can head to the courthouse so I'm not late for my own wedding, or you can leave. Either way, this wedding is happening." Haley crossed her arms, her eyes holding his defiantly. "So what's it going to be? With or without you?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes, "you're really serious about this?"

Haley nodded, gripping her arms to stop the shaking of her hands.

"Then I guess there's really no choice," Lucas couldn't believe he was hearing these words out of her mouth. "I 'm sorry, but I won't be a part of you ruining your life."

"Come on Lucas," tears rose to the surface of Haley's eyes, "I need you to support me on this. Please?"

Lucas started to reach out for her, but pulled back at the last second, and stepped through the doorway, turning back for just a second, "I love you Hales, but I just can't."

* * *

Haley walked out onto the back deck to find her fiancee standing at the far end, looking out over her mother's garden. He'd taken his suit jacket off and she could see how tense his muscles were through the shirt stretched across his muscular back. She stepped up behind him and placed a hand on his arm, "How's the face?"

"Oh, so now you care?" he turned, pulling away the makeshift ice pack to show the bruise forming around his eye socket. "How nice of you to remember I was the one suckerpunched."

"That's not fair," Haley sighed. She knew that choosing either of them was going to cause problems, but she felt she had no choice but to go to Lucas to do damage control. It obviously hadn't worked anyway and his reaction left her feeling hollow. "I had to explain about the wedding and try to make him understand or at least accept what's happening."

"You had to?" he asked, "or you wanted to?"

She didn't respond and he really looked at her for the first time since she'd joined him, noticing the red-rimmed eyes despite the effort she'd made to fix her makeup. Suddenly, he felt bad for his harsh words a moment earlier, "I guess it didn't go well?"

She shook her head no, a soft sob escaping despite her attempt to hold it back, "He doesn't understand and I can't explain it to him..." she leaned against Nathan and he enfolded her in his arms, resting his chin atop her head, "I hate lying to him."

Nathan understood her pain, having felt the same thing when he talked to his mother, "I know. I'm sorry about..."

"It's not your fault," she pulled away and looked up at him, tracing the bruise forming along his eye, "I'm sorry he got carried away, he thought...never mind. Does it hurt?"

"I've had worse," he shrugged his shoulders. "I'll be okay.

"Well, if it's any consolation, his face looks a lot worse than yours right now," she admitted, "his nose is going to be pretty swollen..."

Nathan couldn't help but smirk at the knowledge he'd gotten a better shot in, but his hurt quickly returned, surprising in its intensity. For a relationship that was supposed to be all for show, it had hurt more than he'd have ever imagined to have her walk away with his brother. He pulled away, "It felt like you were choosing him over me," he admitted, surprising both of them, "and I know this isn't the kind of marriage you've always dreamed of and I'm not the guy you would've chosen if circumstances were different. I've been there before and I can accept that, but for now, while we're doing this, we're going to be husband and wife. This is going to be hard enough without...I don't want..." he shook his head, trying to make her understand what he wasn't sure he did himself, "I CAN'T be a game to you. I won't go through that again."

"Nathan," Haley stepped toward him carefully, sensing he was on an emotional edge, "This isn't a game to me...you're not a game to me. I...care about you, so much and I know how important this is. I don't know what someone else said or did, but I swear, I won't let you down. We're in this together."

"Haley Bob," Lydia cautiously stepped out the back door, "we have to go now."

Haley nodded at her before turning back to Nathan, "It's time," she told him, turning and heading for the door. Pulling it open she took a deep breath and gathered her courage before turning back for a moment, "I needed to at least try to make peace with Lucas because he's important to me and, jackass or not, he's your brother. But I don't want you to think for a second that I would ever choose him over you."

* * *

Nathan and Haley walked into the building with their fingers laced together and he squeezed her hand as they headed down the hall. "It's going to be okay. He'll come around."

"I hope so," Haley gave a tremulous smile. "It's going to be hard enough dealing with everyone. We don't need him acting like a jerk."

"I'm not exactly his biggest fan at the moment," Nathan gingerly touched his eye, "but I can understand where he's coming from. He doesn't want to see you hurt."

"Unless he's the one doing it?" Haley looked ahead to see her parents stop at a desk and sighed. "I really wish for once he'd just trust me and not treat me like a child."

Nathan started to say something but closed his mouth as he looked over her shoulder, "Give me a minute." He walked past her and she turned to see him approaching Lucas who was standing awkwardly a little further down the hallway. She bit her lip in worry over the iminint confrontation, breathing a sigh of relief when they didn't immediately come to blows.

"I'm not here to talk to you," Lucas said, trying to keep walking past his brother, "I'm here for Haley."

"Well so am I," Nathan stood his ground, "but I do have a few things to say to you. "

Lucas crossed his arms over his chest and waited for him to speak, "I don't care how you feel about me," Nathan continued, "but Haley is about to become my wife and she does, so we need to get along for her sake. She's been crying and .."

"This is crazy. You know that right?"

Nathan sighed, "I know you don't understand our reasons, but you're going to have to accept and trust that we have them. Even if you don't trust me, you know Haley. We're not just doing this on a whim."

"Of course I trust her. I'm here aren't I?" Lucas brushed passed him and walked up to Haley, reaching for her hands, "I don't agree with what you're doing, but I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, "I really needed to hear that."

Lucas squeezed her tight, "I'm just sorry I didn't say it earlier."

"What changed your mind?" she tilted her head as she searched his face. Although she was grateful for it, she knew he didn't usually come to a change of heart of this magnitude quickly. In fact, he was more likely to dig in his heels and fight against all proof once he decided he was right.

"Let's just say your father had a few things to say to me on the way out the door," Lucas searched out the older man and nodded in his direction. "Things I guess I needed to hear."

"I'm so glad you're here," she grinned, stepping back and gesturing for Nathan to come forward. She reached for Nathan's arm and wrapped hers around it, leaning against his shoulder. "This is so much better."

Nathan looked down and couldn't help but smile at her happiness. He'd make peace with Lucas a million times to continue to see it, "I think it's time." He gestured to her parents who were motioning for them to come, "they're waiting."

The three of them walked over and into a small courtroom where a judge was ready. "Nathan Scott and Haley James?" he addressed them as they walked forward, holding out his hand to shake theirs. "It's nice to meet you."

They talked for a few minutes and handed him the paperwork, "So you're both 17?" he looked it over quickly.

"Yes sir," Nathan answered, "I'm emancipated though."

"And your parents have consented?" he asked Haley, looking over in her parents' direction and seeing their assent.

He looked back at Nathan, the bruising around his eye becoming more evident by the minute, as was the cut on his slightly swollen lip, "and you're both here of your own free will? Neither of you are being coerced into this decision?" he looked back over at Haley's parents, "Because if you are, the marriage won't be valid."

"Yes..no," they both answered at the same time.

"I mean," Nathan chuckled, breaking up the nerves of the moment, "We both want this."

"Okay," the judge smiled, as the two looked at each other and grinned, "then I guess we can go ahead and get started."

"Whew," a loud voice came from the back of the room, "I hope I'm in time."

The group whirled around to take in the newcomer, Nathan's hand involuntarily squeezing Haley's tightly at the sight. "Um, what are you doing here Uncle Raymond?"

"I wouldn't miss my nephew's wedding now would I?" he feigned confusion, "I'm assuming my invitation got lost in the mail?"

"No," Nathan took a step toward him, "you weren't invited at all."

"Well that's a shame," he put his hand over his heart as though he were hurt, "I would think I'd be the first person on that list since I'm in charge of making sure this marriage is real." He looked around at the mostly empty courtroom and it's 6 other occupants, "seems a bit clandestine to me."

"We don't need of a lot of fanfare and we didn't want to take the time or expense to plan anything bigger," Nathan countered. "It's just about being together."

"Sounds cute, but if I didn't know any better," Raymond said, now standing just a few feet from them, "I'd say this was supposed to be a secret. What other reason could there be for you to be marrying without any of your family present?"

"My brother is here," Nathan argued, drawing a surprised noise from Lucas, "but my mother is still ill and couldn't come."

"Even for your wedding?" he scoffed, moving to sidestep his nephew, " You're a pretty young thing, of course, I'm sure he could've done better with the kind of money he's expecting. How much is he offering you to be his...?"

"You better not finish that sentence," Nathan's hands clenched into fists. "I won't let you stand her and insult her."

Lucas was confused but stepped forward, "I don't like what you're insinuating."

"Lucas, stay out of this," Nathan growled at him, before turning back to his uncle, "Haley is off limits. If you want to be nasty, keep it to me."

"I'm not trying to upset anyone, just the opposite actually. When I heard you were getting married at the courthouse, I rushed here to offer help to my wife's only living family," he pasted on a concerned smile, "After all, we can't have the Lee heir getting married this way. It isn't seemly."

"I'm not a Lee," Nathan pointed out, his hands going to his hips. "I don't owe them anything."

"And yet, this whole thing is about getting their money," Ray shook his head, "disgraceful."

Haley stepped forward and wrapped her arm around her fiancee's waist, "this isn't about money." She smiled and looked up into Nathan's eyes, "I'm crazy in love with this man and couldn't wait to marry him."

Nathan's heart skipped a beat at her declaration and he searched her eyes for signs she was playacting, unsure which way he hoped was true. Ever since her comments earlier, he'd been constantly replaying their conversation and wondering how much of it was true and how much was playing her part. He pulled her tighter into his side, "being apart showed us that we needed to be together. There was no sense in waiting."

"What's this about money?" Lucas asked, completely lost. "My dad doesn't even know about this..."

"Your brother," Raymond sneered the word, turning to the blonde, "has inherited a sizeable sum, millions in fact, but he can only get his hands on it now if he marries. Apparently, he's willing to sell his pride to do just that."

"That's not what this is about," Nathan argued.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that," Raymond, clapped his hands as if it was all settled, "then we can do this right. I'm sure you just chose this way because of the cost of a real wedding, but we can't have our future patriarch marrying in such a havey-cavey fashion. So, I'm going to pay for it."

"That's not necessary," Haley answered when Nathan seemed to stunned to do it. "We're happy with it this way and we wouldn't want to spend your money."

"That's nice, but I insist on a full, family wedding," he told her, narrowing his eyes almost menacingly, "anything else might make me think you were less than genuine in your reasons for getting married."

Haley looked helplessly at Nathan who wasn't anymore sure what to do than she was.

"That's very generous of you," Lydia stepped in, stalling for time, "and it was so nice of you to come all this way to make the offer, but I think these lovebirds need to take a few minutes to discuss this possible change in plans."

Nathan snapped out of his shock and agreed, walking with Haley out into the hallway. "What a piece of work," she looked back toward the room. "No wonder you didn't want to talk about your family."

Nathan nodded, wiping his hands down his face, "I should've expected something like this. What are we going to do now?"

* * *

"This makes way more sense now," Lucas said angrily, pacing back and forth. "Did you ask her to do this?"

"Like we're her pimps or something?" Lydia laughed, covering her mouth and looking across the room at the oily man standing and speaking to the judge. She lowered her voice another level, "Come on Lucas, we couldn't have forced her even if we wanted to. If you think hard, I'm sure you could probably figure out what Nathan needs that money for."

Lucas looked confused for a minute before realization dawned on him, "his mom?" At the confirmation from Lydia he tried to remember everything he'd heard said about her situation, "I thought she was better?"

Lydia shook her head no, "and her bills are astronomical. She doesn't want Nathan to know, but he found out anyway. Now he's trying to fix things for her."

"But Haley seemed so honest when she was talking about it all. She can't usually lie to save her life," Lucas was flumoxed. "I don't get it, I mean, I came tonight because I really believed she was in love."

The James looked at each other, "I think you should talk to her about it again now that the cat's out of the bag," Lydia hedged.

Lucas looked back and forth between the parents, "It's not all a lie, is it?"

Jimmy shook his head, but said, "you need to ask her. Just, don't get angry okay. They're trying really hard to do a good thing, but it's been hard on them too. If that guy over there can find any proof this marriage is anything less than what they're claiming, he can make it very difficult for Nathan to get the money his mom needs."

Lucas took a deep breath and let it out, his mind reeling with the new information. "I can't believe all this has been going on and I've been oblivious."

"They wanted it that way," Lydia told him, "the more people that know, the riskier it is and the more people that have to lie and pretend. They didn't want to make it harder for any of you."

"I should've figured out it was something like this. Haley isn't the type to jump into marriage and I got that part, but Nathan hasn't been himself since he came back earlier this week and I was too caught up in what him staying meant to me to think about what would cause him to do something so drastic," Lucas was annoyed with himself, "I suck."

"They didn't want you to know," Jimmy reassured him. "It's not your fault."

"What do you think they'll do?" Lucas asked, looking at the closed door.

"I don't know that they have much of a choice," Lydia leaned against her husband, "this all just got even more complicated."

* * *

"Do we really have a choice?" Haley asked, sitting down on one of the chairs. "I mean, he can't say it's not real because of where we got married right?"

"Probably not, but it won't look good and if anything else comes up, it'll tip the scales against us. I don't know Hales," Nathan sat next to her and leaned his head back against the wall. "Now that he's made what other people will see as a grand gesture, I think we probably have to do it."

"But that means telling your parents," Haley knew that wasn't something he wanted to do. "Will they try to stop us?"

"They can't," Nathan shook his head, "but they're not going to be happy either. That's why I was hoping to present it as a fait accompli."

"I really think you should tell your mom the truth," Haley reached out and touched his arm. "You have no idea how much easier this is for me knowing don't have to lie to my parents and now Lucas. You're just going to end up beating yourself up over hurting her if you keep it a secret."

"This is out of control already," he leaned forward and put his head in his hands. "Maybe we shouldn't even try. He's on to us already and look how easily Lucas found out. If I tell my mom, that's yet another person who could make a mistake and give us away."

"So you want to give up already?" Haley moved to kneel in front of him, uncaring of the dirt probably clinging to her white dress, "We're doing this because it's your mom's only chance, right?"

Nathan nodded, "but what if we fail?"

"What if we don't even try?" Haley met his blue eyes with her own brown ones, "Don't let him win. We can do this."

"You're amazing. I really hope you know that," he brushed a loose curl over her ear.

"Of course," Haley grinned, playing off the compliment with a wink. "Why else would you marry me?"

Nathan smiled and was about to say something else when he felt Haley shift forward and place her lips against his. He hesitated for a moment in shock, but she placed her hand behind his head and held him close, it was the only assurance he needed to give in and kiss her back, his mouth moving against hers in a slow dance. His hands were about to move around her waist to pull her closer when they heard a throat clearing that caused them to break apart.

"I'm sorry," Haley stood, turning around and looking at the group that just exited the chamber, "we got a little carried away with the excitement." She looked back at Nathan and pulled him to stand next to her, wrapping her arms around his waist. "We would love to have a real wedding. It's so sweet of you to offer us such a generous gift. We weren't sure if we could accept something so lavish, but since you are family..."

Nathan finally recovered from the kiss and joined in, unable to look at her with the thoughts running through his mind, "we're going to just say thank you."

Raymond looked like a fish caught out of water, totally surprised by their acceptance. He'd been sure they wouldn't go through with it and he'd have his victory swiftly and easily. Now, he was expected to spend money he didn't really have to pay for a wedding he hoped never came to fruition. "Of course, if you're sure."

Haley leaned up and kissed Nathan again, this time quickly on the cheek. "We couldn't be happier."


	30. Chapter 30

Haley stood at her dresser and absentmindedly took the pins out of her hair, pulling it down strand by strand as she thought about the evening. She'd expected to be Mrs. Nathan Scott by now, but instead, things had taken a turn and she was left wondering if that was ever going to happen. None of them suspected anyone else would even know about the wedding, much less come to protest it. It had been another unexpected hurdle they would have to overcome and an unwanted reminder that things were not going to be easy for them.

After they'd left the courthouse, Lucas had reluctantly gone home and the four of them had gone to dinner as planned. Throughout the meal three of them had discussed the events and possible solutions, but Nathan had been quiet and withdrawn. She'd tried to pull him out his mood and he'd briefly attempted to join in, but he was clearly upset and his thoughts were elsewhere. She felt a lump in her throat just thinking about the look of desperation in his eyes, but she didn't know what to do to fix things for him other than to attempt to get this wedding planned as quickly as possible. They'd talked about locations and she was planning on spending time the next couple of days calling and finding out what options were available. They couldn't let things drag out since they needed to be married in the next 6 weeks for money to come through in time.

She sighed as she picked up her wedding dress off the bed, hanging it up on the back of the closet door and smoothing it out. She had felt like a princess when she dressed and the look on Nathan's face had made her feel like she was floating on air. To go from that to the depressing, anxious way the evening ended had been enough to make her understand why people drank. What had seemed like a straight-forward process had been hopelessly detoured.

"How are you taking this?" her mother popped her head in the door, stepping inside and closing it behind her. "Not exactly the wedding day you expected."

"Better than Nathan is," Haley turned to look at her. "He was pretty freaked out by the whole thing. I'm worried about him."

"That guy was something else, he even had me nervous," Lydia came in, shutting the door behind her. "Nathan will be okay once he has a chance to process things. Strength and determination seem to be qualities he has in spades." She noticed the dress and remembered how beautiful her daughter had looked just hours earlier. It was a shame to have it end on a sour note.

She moved over to help Haley with her hair, picking up a brush and working out the tangles as Haley found the last couple of pins. They worked quietly for a few minutes, enjoying a mother-daughter activity that they hadn't done in a long time. One that they might not ever do again. Lydia felt a tear slide down at her cheek, realizing that her wanderlust had cost her many of these times in the past.

"That was some kiss," Lydia finally broke the silence as they finished, determined not to wallow, but to live in the present. "I thought your father was going to have a heart attack."

"I can't believe I did that," Haley blushed, covering her face with her hands. She had never initiated anything like that before. Her few kisses had always been the result of her date being the aggressor, "I thought he was going to push me away."

"From where I stood, it didn't look like he was protesting," Lydia teased, gently nudging her shoulder, "It looked like he was enjoying himself. You too."

Haley swooned, letting herself fall back on her bed, "I never wanted it to end." She grabbed her stuffed bear and pulled it to her chest as she remembered, "It's not like I haven't been kissed before, but I never really understood what the fuss was about."

Lydia sat down next to her, "and now you do?"

"Oh, I definitely do," Haley smiled dreamily for a moment, "He's a great kisser...really great."

Lydia laughed as her daughter was embarrassed, "I remember when your daddy kissed me for the first time. I felt it all the way down to my toes."

Haley nodded, "It's how I always dreamed it would feel when I fell in love."

Lydia frowned. She was delighted that Haley had found someone worthy to love, but despite her usual optimism, she worried about the situation. Her daughter had the same childhood dreams as most girls, but she was usually so level-headed and cautious, almost to the point where they worried if she'd ever let go enough to take a chance on love. It was now a strange position for her to be in, worrying about Haley's heart. "I know how you feel about Nathan sweetie, but are you sure you want to get married at the church?"

"I've always told people that's where I want to marry," Haley shrugged, trying to play off the thought, "it would look weird if I chose somewhere else."

"And it isn't because you hope this will be a forever wedding?" Lydia prodded carefully. "I know you've always imagined it as your fairytale and I don't want it to be ruined for you if you two do end up splitting. Nathan is a good young man, but he's also very determined and I don't want you to be crushed if he keeps to his plans."

"I know this is probably temporary. I do," Haley sighed at the reminder, leaning against her mother's shoulder, "but it might not be and I love Nathan. Even if we aren't together forever, I want to store up as many of these memories as I can. Besides, I probably won't be able to have it there anyway. As you said, there's usually at least a 6 month wait."

Lydia wrapped her arm around her daughter, "I'm sorry I'm being a downer. I don't want you to give up hope."

"I know. It's kind of funny because he was talking about his mom, not us, but something Nathan said when he first came back has stuck with me and I've kind of adopted it as my way of looking at this marriage," Haley looked down at her beautiful ring and then back up at her mom, "Sometimes, hope is all we have."

* * *

Nathan went back to the Scott house after dinner, his head still reeling from what happened at the court house. He had been horrified and embarrassed at his uncle's arrival and was so thankful that Haley had been able to keep her head and get them through the debacle. He hadn't been able to get past what happened to even help them plan what to do afterword, too stunned that his own uncle was so greedy that he was willing to cost his niece her life just to get his hands on some money. He knew he should have been helping when they'd discussed ideas at dinner, but he'd had trouble even paying attention, his mind overwhelmed at all the new complications. From the moment he'd heard his mother disclose their problems he'd been going nonstop, not pausing any more than necessary to think about anything beyond the next problem to be solved, but it felt like now that he'd been forced to stop, things were crashing down on top of him with the force of a hurricane. He had looked around the restaurant and the same question kept swirling in his head. How many things was he going to be able to handle before he collapsed under the burden and took Haley down with him?

After leaving, he'd driven down the Rivercourt and glad to find the court empty, he'd stood in his undershirt and dress pants shooting dozens of barefoot free throws, the familiar routine allowing him to settle his mind and release some of the stress settling like a weight on his chest.

Now hours later, he was home and once again determined to find the strength to get through this latest setback. With that resolve, he headed for the shower but ever since he'd managed to get past his anger, all he could think about was the kiss. Even though he realized Haley did it for show, that kiss had totally knocked him off kilter. It had only lasted a few seconds, but it had been enough to make his pulse skyrocket and his breathing falter. For someone who, by her own admission, had little experience in the matter, she had somehow left him wanting more, a feeling that he was desperately trying to ignore since it was not part of their plan. He'd learned long ago that sometimes the way to get through things was to compartmentalize his feelings, and he had gotten quite good at it, but for some reason this time they refused to be tucked away. He'd have to figure out how to remedy that quickly. The last thing he needed was for Haley to think he wanted to change their relationship.

His hand subconsciously moved to his lips, surprised to note they still had a cut on them. He sure hadn't felt it while she was touching them. He stepped out of his clothes and moved to the mirror to take a look. He knew how he felt, but was still surprised to see that he looked like a prize fighter. No wonder the judge had looked at them funny, he must have made an interesting picture of a happy groom.

Shaking his head, he stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water. His sore body demanded it as payment for his inability to protect himself properly and he hoped it would help him sleep, because if he continued to think about the results of Haley's attempt to show them as a happy couple, he'd be back in here taking another one, this time cold.

* * *

Nathan and Haley drove toward the fourth apartment complex of the day, their hopes of finding a place they could afford flagging. So far, each of the ones they'd looked at had been disasters they couldn't possibly picture themselves living in and they were starting to wonder if anything was going to go right with their plans.

They pulled into the large, well lit parking lot and each of them breathed a sigh of relief that this one looked a lot more promising than the others. The man on the phone had told them it had undergone a series of big renovations over the last few years and it appeared that unlike the other complexes that said similar, these ones had obviously been serious improvements.

They found the office and an older man came out to introduce himself, "I'm sorry to tell you, the last two bedroom was rented yesterday. We only have one apartment now available and it's only got the one. It was our model when we re-opened after all the construction and while it's quite nice, it obviously isn't what the two of you were hoping for."

They'd already discussed this possibility when they started their search and were willing to deal with it, but it didn't stop them from being disappointed. Nathan looked down at Haley and she nodded, "We'd still like to see it."

They followed him up a flight of stairs and he let them into an apartment that Haley immediately fell in love with, the light filling the room and making it seem large and airy, "This is great."

Nathan looked around, noting the open kitchen/living area and the hallway that must lead to the bathroom and bedroom. There were two chairs in front of an island and a simple inexpensive couch in the main room with a coffee table. "This one comes partially furnished," the landlord added, "but we can move the things out if you prefer. They were left here by a couple that moved out of one of the other apartments in a hurry and never came back for them. We used them to stage the area."

"No, that's great," Haley nudged Nathan in excitement. They'd been concerned about affording furniture or anything until the first loan came through. He had some money saved up, but it wouldn't last long if they had to buy large items. "It would really help us out."

"Feel free to look around the other rooms, I need to step out and take a call," he glanced down at the phone buzzing in his hand, "I'll be right back."

Haley reached for Nathan's hand and pulled him to the back bedroom which was completely empty except for simple gray curtains hanging in front of the lone window. She let go and checked out the closet before turning around in a circle, her arms spread wide, "What do you think?"

"I think you must be feeling as desperate as I am to be this excited over this place," he couldn't help but smile though at her enthusiasm as she pointed to where they could put things. "We'd have to get a bigger couch though, I'd never fit on that one out there. Maybe one that pulls out?"

Haley's smile dimmed at the reminder of the one drawback to the apartment, "We could fit two beds in here."

"And someone comes over and starts an inquisition about why we sleep separate?" Nathan shook his head , "No thanks. If I sleep on the couch, I can just put the things away and no one will be the wiser."

"Then you should take the bed," Haley didn't like the idea of him trying to fold his long legs onto a couch, even a longer one, "I can sleep anywhere. A product of lots of camping trips with my huge family growing up."

"I can't let you do that," Nathan shifted awkwardly, "I'm the one getting you into this mess to begin with. Besides, no way would any guy with an ounce of chivalry let a girl take the couch while he sleeps on the bed. Not going to happen."

"But you'll hurt your..." Haley began to argue with him but stopped when the landlord returned, deciding to come back to it later.

"Am I interrupting? I can give you a few more minutes..." he looked between them, unsure of what he'd walked in on.

"No," Haley pasted on a smile, walking over and wrapping her arm around Nathan's waist, "we just can't agree on where to put the furniture."

The older man nodded, his discomfort forgotten at the sight of her bright smile, "I remember when my wife and I first moved in together, we disagreed on almost everything." He chuckled, "I can promise from experience young man that things just are easiest if you just let the woman decide. It makes everything smoother."

Nathan decided to play along for the moment, but in his mind things were far from settled. They'd have to discuss the subject more later, "I'll admit she's usually right."

"So, what do you think?" the landlord rocked back on his heels and gestured around, "Will it work for you?"

"Could we have a few more minutes to talk about it?" Haley looked up at Nathan and could tell he wasn't sure, "he really wanted that second room for working out."

"Sure," he smiled at them, "I'll head down to the office. Come down and let me know what you decide."

Haley followed him out to the living room and waited for him to leave before looking around more closely. Nathan had stayed in the bedroom and she could tell he needed a little time to think so she walked around, imagining where she would put things. There was a perfect spot near the window where she could put a chair and practice her guitar and the island would be a great place to do homework or work on her applications. Nathan could put a television over in the corner and there would be enough room if he was stubborn enough to decide on sleeping on a pull out couch. She felt at home there, like it was where they were meant to be. She couldn't wait to move in.

* * *

Nathan walked over and looked out the bedroom window, noting the pool located below within the central area of the courtyard. He was pleased with the apartment and it was close to school, but the single bedroom was certainly less than ideal. He thought about his offer and cringed. When he was younger, he'd spent years sleeping on the couch and he wouldn't have thought twice about it, but he had been several inches shorter then and much lighter. Now, he was used to sleeping in a bed and it wouldn't be easy to go back to the lumpy mattress and the bar hitting across his back. Of course, he wasn't willing to let Haley do it either. His mother had raised him to be too much of a gentleman for that to ever sit well on his conscience.

He sighed, knowing they didn't really have much of a choice, they had to take this place. The other apartments had all been unbearable and everything else in town was already full or out of their price range. They'd just have to make due.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, immediately panicking when he saw the caller's name, "What is it?" he answered immediately, not bothering with pleasantries. "Is she okay?"

"Your mother is fine," Patrick reassured him on the other end, "Sorry for the scare. I just had something I wanted to ask you. Do you have time to talk?"

"Sure," Nathan released a long breath of relief and leaned against the wall for a moment, "what's up?"

"You've been the man of the house your whole life," Patrick began and Nathan could hear the nerves in his voice, "You had to grow up quick and take on more responsibility than most kids your age and you've done a great job of it. Your mother couldn't possibly be any more proud of you and..."

"Okay," Nathan cut him off, relaxing a little, "as much as I love when people sing my praises, I'm assuming there's another point to this. You didn't call to read my resume."

"Right," Patrick chuckled awkwardly, "Sorry. I'd like your permission to ask your mother to marry me."

"Wow," Nathan was taken off guard, "I'm...um...sure, I mean, you don't need my permission. My mom can make her own decisions..."

"I know," Patrick explained, "but your opinion matters a lot to her and it would mean a lot to both of us to have your blessing."

"I just want her to be happy," Nathan cringed at the statement, knowing that he wasn't giving her the same opportunity in his decision and that his marriage would most likely not please her. His guilt intensified at the idea, but he wasn't sure he could tell her the truth and still go through with it if she protested. "Just, promise you'll do whatever it takes to take care of her. She's not out of the woods and..."

"I would do anything for her. I know the situation Nate," the older man sighed, "and it doesn't stop how I feel about her . It just makes me even less willing to waste any more time. If she agreed, I'd marry her tomorrow."

Nathan wasn't sure what to say that wouldn't give him totally away, "Good," he nodded to himself. "I'll keep doing the same."

They talked for a few more minutes and hung up just as Haley came back into the room looking for him, "everything okay?"

"Yeah," he forced a smile, "that was Patrick. Looks like we aren't going to be the only ones getting married."

* * *

Haley was sitting on her bed doing her homework when she looked at the clock, 9pm already. It had taken them a while to get the papers signed for the apartment and then they'd stopped by the cafe and picked up dinner and talked over some possibilities for the wedding. Now it was getting late and she had ton of work still to do, but she couldn't concentrate. Her mind kept drifting to everything that was going on. She put on a brave face for everyone else, but she was scared. Scared of how she was feeling, scared that she was going to get her heart irrevocably broken, scared that she would end up breaking down and begging him to stay when the time came.

She was honest when she told her mom that she knew the marriage was likely to end, but that didn't mean she was okay with it or that she was sure she could handle it. She wanted to be like her mother suggested, like Brooke or Taylor would be in this situation, but she wasn't sure she could. She wasn't wired that way and the more time they spent together, the more they acted like a real couple, the further she fell under his spell and the harder it would hit her when he left. She wished she could talk to Brooke about it, but she couldn't, not about this. She had her mother, but she would probably put a stop to things if she knew how Haley was truly feeling. She looked at the phone and considered calling her sister. Taylor already knew the truth and though she wasn't someone Haley usually, okay never, went to for advice, she could at least be a good sounding board when she wanted to be.

She grabbed her phone just as Brooke barged into the room, plopping down on the lone empty spot on the bed, "So lover boy starts tomorrow right?"

Haley rolled her eyes, but nodded, closing her book and sitting up. She'd had enough of these talks to know that it would be a while before she got back to studying, or trying to. Good thing she had study hall, "I think I'm more nervous than he is. He doesn't seem worried at all."

Brooke shrugged her shoulders, "guys are like that, they don't think it's a big deal, but we know better."

"We do?" Haley asked. She was concerned about playing her part and being believable as his girlfriend as well as getting her heart stomped on. Since Brooke had no idea any of those things were concerns, she didn't know what she should be worried about. "Why?"

"Because," Brooke drew out as though it should be obvious, "tomorrow will be all about making the perfect first impression. I've already decided what you two should wear and you need to make a grand entrance, preferably right before warning bell rings for maximum impact. Then you need to throw in some PDA, right there so everyone knows he's off the market. You don't want any of those other skanks getting it in their heads that he's available. You need to set them straight right off the bat."

"Uh, okay," Haley laughed, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Listen TG, I know you've never really been into the popularity thing, but everyone is going to have their eyes on you tomorrow. It could totally make or break you socially, especially since Lucas will probably have painted Nathan as the bad guy in their fight," Brooke pointed out.

"Why would he do that?" Haley tilted her head in confusion. "It was just a misunderstanding anyway."

"Look, I don't know why he flew off the handle about you two, but he's not going to walk into school with a busted up face and tell people it's because he acted like a jerk. He's too concerned about his reputation for that," Brooke explained, "so he'll blame it on Nathan, especially if he's pissed about you two dating. Probably make up some story about being attacked or something."

"That doesn't sound like Lucas," Haley protested. "He wouldn't say bad stuff about someone for no reason."

Brooke shook her head and sighed, reaching for her friend's hand, "Come on Haley, don't tell me you are really that naive. You've always been a bit blind to his faults, but don't tell me you've never seen them at all. Even when I was dating him I knew he would do anything to stay on top of the heap. I just didn't care, because I used to be the same way."

"Okay, not that I agree with you, but what's that have to do with Nathan?"

"You've got to be kidding me?" Brooke was floored, "He's been jealous of him from the get go. Don't you remember what an ass he was at the beginning of summer? He's totally threatened by the guy."

Haley frowned, "and you think he'll cause problems?"

"Let's just say it wouldn't surprise me," Brooke admitted, "That's why you need to be on your A game if you don't want to end up on the outside looking in. Believe me, you don't want to end up on the DO NOT INVITE LIST. Even I might not be able to help you if that happens."

Haley rolled her eyes dramatically, "Even if I thought you were right, you know I've never cared about that stuff, Nathan coming here doesn't change that."

"What about him? Does he care?"

Haley wasn't sure how to answer that, she'd never even thought about it. It didn't sound like it had ever been a big deal to him, but he had been one of the popular guys, a BMOC and she wondered if it wouldn't at least irritate him to be anything less. They were already going to be fighting the tide when word of their marriage came out, she guessed they should probably try and court a little favor before then.

She looked over to her closet and then at the almost evil glint in her friend's eyes, hoping she wouldn't regret what she was about to say, "Okay, for his sake, I'm willing to at least make an effort. What did you have in mind?"

* * *

"So where've you been?" Dan caught Nathan as he came in the kitchen door. "I thought I might actually see you a little since you came back, but you've been out most of the time."

"Yeah," Nathan rubbed the back of his neck, "I've played down at the Rivercourt some and spent time with Haley."

Dan frowned at the mention of a girl, even one he liked, taking up so much of his attention, but he tried not show his displeasure. "I'm sure you've had a good time. So your first day's tomorrow?"

Nathan released a breath of relief and nodded, "first practice too."

"You'll do fine. You've got good grades so I'm not worried about classes and I know you won't have any trouble on the court. Just remember Whitey's bark is a lot worse than his bite."

Nathan grinned, "I like him so far."

Dan frowned at that, "we had our struggles back when I played for him and I still give him a hard time, but I've finally grown up enough to admit the old coot knows what he's talking about. Unfortunately, my railing against him over the years stuck with Lucas a lot more than my more recent statements about his coaching abilities. I guess I should've been smart enough to realize my ego would come back to bite me in the ass. It's not like it's the first time."

Nathan smiled at that, "I've had enough coaches over the years to be able to discern the difference myself by now, but thanks for the endorsement," he grew serious, " I'm glad to know you're not as upset about that part of my being here."

Dan sighed and drew his hands down his face as he considered his next words carefully, "I'm not upset about you being here Nathan, not at all. It hurt when you left to go home and I felt like I'd missed my chance with you. Now I get another one and I'm thrilled for myself..."

"But?"

"But I want the best for you. I want you to have everything you want, every chance to live your dreams and I feel that best opportunity was at Oak Hill. I can't help but feel like one day you'll look back on these decisions and regret them, and feel like I failed you by not trying harder to stop you from making them. I've lived with a lot of regrets and they can eat you up inside if you let them. I don't want the same for you."

Nathan nodded, "I get what you're saying and I appreciate how you feel, but it's my life and sometimes...sometimes priorities and people change. Opportunities come and go. This is something I felt I had to do. You may not always like or understand my choices, but I need you to at least try and support me..."

Dan nodded and started to say something, but Nathan wasn't finished, "and stop comparing me and Lucas."

"I just want him to have the drive you have," Dan tried to defend himself although he knew he was guilty. "He has a lot of talent and if he just worked harder..."

"We're different people with different experiences and goals. It's not fair to either one of us to pit us against each other. We have a hard enough time getting along as it is and now we're going to have to learn to play and work together," Nathan argued. "I can't stop you from trying to help him or coach him or whatever, you call it, but please, leave me out of it. It's not a competition."

"I'll do my best," Dan conceded, "although I have a feeling you're not telling me everything. The whole, support me when I make decisions you don't like sounds a little ominous."

Nathan shrugged, unwilling to explain further, "Don't we all end up disappointing each other at some point?"

Dan nodded thoughtfully as Nathan headed for the stairs, "Nate?"

His son turned from the bottom step, "I can't say I won't get angry when I find out whatever it is, but I'll still do my best to help if you need it. I love you."

Nathan stood there in surprise for a moment, "Thanks," he finally pushed out, "I'll...just...thanks. That means more than you know."

Dan waited until he disappeared around the corner at the top of the steps before he let himself collapse against the back of his chair, "I think I do, and someday hopefully I'll hear it back."


	31. Chapter 31

So sorry for the wait, things have been crazy. I swear, I'm not giving up on this, it's just been hard to find any blocks of time to sit down and work on it. Thanks for those of you who keep encouraging me and sending me reviews. I greatly appreciate it and I'm glad you're enjoying.

ch 31

Haley was a ball of nerves as she walked alongside Brooke toward the school. She was never fond of public attention and she was pretty sure based on the way everyone bombarded her with questions the previous week, Nathan's actual arrival was going to cause quite a stir. She twisted her pinkie ring and looked down at her left hand. It already felt empty without her engagement ring, but they'd decided to wait until they had figured out a date for the wedding and talked to his parents before they let that part slip.

Nathan had driven separately since his practice was expected to run later than hers and she found herself searching the lot for his car as they walked. When she spotted it, the knot in her stomach grew and she tugged on the bottom of her skirt as she saw the crowd milling outside.

"I wish you would've worn what I set out for you," Brooke complained as they neared the sidewalk. "You would've turned a lot of heads."

"I would've looked like a hooker and killed myself in those shoes," Haley shot back. "I know you're just trying to help, but I'm not going to start pretending to be someone I'm not. This is as far as I'm willing to go."

"Well, at least you wore the shirt and that skirt is acceptable I guess," Brooke admitted, "if you leave it alone."

Haley realized she was fiddling with her clothes again and stood up straighter, "this is ridiculous. It's just a regular school day."

"Whatever you say," Brooke whistled as they reached the sidewalk where they were supposed to meet their guys. "Oh, your boy looks hot. The black eye even looks good, it gives him a rugged, tough guy appeal."

Haley turned and found Nathan wearing his normal blue Kentucky basketball shirt with his jeans, the color making his eyes look impossibly deep despite the discoloration of one. Her pulse picked up as she silently agreed with her friend, he did look incredibly good. If she were to judge by all the girls looking his way, they too had noticed.

She stopped and closed her eyes, sending up a quick plea for help as she fought her inclination to turn and avoid the attention. That done, they continued toward the entrance and Haley noticed her arrival was causing a stir. It was time to truly start their performance.

She looked around and noticed there were dozens of people standing around, many of them with their eyes on Nathan. She still wasn't sure how exactly how they should act, but when they'd discussed it the day before, he'd told her he didn't want her to be uncomfortable with anything so he'd follow her lead. She thought about her friends and the way they were with their boyfriends and walking up to him, she placed her arm around his waist and tucked her finger into his belt loop, "Hey babe."

Nathan hadn't seen her coming so he jumped slightly, but quickly recovered and placed his arm around her shoulder, facing the two girls he smiled down at her and kissed her forehead before looking over her shoulder for a moment and adding, "Hi Brooke."

"Awww, you two are so cute," Brooke gushed excitedly, before looking to see who Nathan had been talking to, "Hey Mouth," she gave them all a quick wave. "I'll be right back, I need to find Julian."

"Which means she wants to makeout before school," Mouth rolled his eyes and the three of them laughed. "I swear, the two of them are always attached at some body part," he wiggled his eyebrows, "please promise me you two aren't going to be as gross to be around?"

"Uh, no," Nathan cleared his throat, "We're not big into the whole PDA thing."

"Right," Haley quickly agreed, "I've suffered through too much of it to do it to other people." That was another thing they'd talked about, an excuse for why they wouldn't be as touchy feely as many of their friends. "I'd rather keep those moments private."

Brooke came bouncing back to them with Julian in tow and her lipstick smudged, "found him. Now we can go in."

"You ready?" Nathan asked and found that he was for the first time uneasy about entering the school. There had already been lots of stares and whispers, but that was probably normal. Mouth said they didn't get many new students, especially ones with already established family and friends, and it was a novelty that people would have to get used to. Nathan worried it was something worse, though nothing bad had happened yet. He shook his head as they walked, realizing that with all that had occurred in the previous months he was becoming a bit paranoid.

They paused at the doors and they both took a deep breath, lacing their fingers together as though preparing for battle. Nathan looked down at her and whispered, "Are you sure? It's not too late to change your mind."

"Of course," Haley nodded, "We're in this together."

"Would you two get moving?" Brooke nudged Haley from behind, "I know this is a big moment, but I've already had 2 tardies and Mr. Green will give me detention if I'm late again."

Nathan laughed as Haley elbowed her friend and they entered the building, drawing the attention of just about everyone there. Haley remembered Brooke's admonition to act normal and ignore the stares and other than her death grip on his hand, she thought she did well as they headed toward their lockers. Nathan had been pleased to note that because of his late arrival, his locker was added at the end of the alphabet, not next to Lucas as it normally would. Instead, hewas right around the corner from Haley and across from the entrance to the gym. After the year he'd had so far, he was grateful for the small things.

They stopped at hers first and she quickly stashed her things except what she needed for first period, wanting to get out of the hallway and into class as fast as possible. Brooke and Julian left for their own lockers and the two of them turned to head for Nathan's. She was just about to make sure he had his combination when a backpack tumbled in her way, causing her to stumble and fall, sprawling across the hall.

"Oops," Rachel covered her mouth, pretending to be horrified by her slip. "It just fell off my shoulder. So sorry."

Nathan knelt down next to Haley and glared up at Rachel before turning to the group standing across the way laughing. He narrowed his eyes, frustrated to note that he didn't have the power to quell them with a glance as he would've been able to do at Oak Hill. Here, he was just a new guy that happened to be their king's bastard brother and it galled him more than he'd expected that he couldn't protect Haley in that way. He hadn't been aware of just how much he had taken his popularity for granted until he needed to use it. .

He took a deep breath and tried to breathe through his frustration so he didn't make it worse or take it out on Haley. Ignoring the onlookers, he reached out to check her ankle, "Where does it hurt?"

"Just my pride," her eyes were wet with tears she refused to let fall, "I feel like an idiot." She readjusted her clothes, grateful that she hadn't worn Brooke's outfit and shown her ass to the whole school.

"Don't let her get to you," Nathan tilted her chin up, "you're so much better than she is and she knows it."

Haley nodded slightly, "Doesn't stop me from wanting to punch her in her perfect face."

Nathan laughed and reached for her hand to pull her up, surprised to find that most of the crowd had dispersed, "I think you're prettier." He picked up her bag and handed it to her, "Let's get to class. We don't want you to be late."

Haley blushed as they walked but realized they'd just passed his stop, "What about your locker?"

"I have study hall first period and I have everything I need in my bag. I'll go later," he placed his hand around her waist to steady her she stood and then picked up her bag and handed it to her, "I'm sorry about Rachel. I know she's been awful to you since I came..."

"It's not your fault," Haley shook her head, straightening her back. She remembered what Brooke had told her the night before about being strong and standing up for herself, "she needs to learn she can't always have what she wants."

* * *

"I knew I should have walked you all the way to class. It totally doesn't surprise me that skanky ho would try something," Brooke was furious as she sat down at their normal lunch table, dropping her bag on the seat next to her. "It's a good thing Lucas showed up and dispersed everyone or it would've been the talk of the day. At least he's good for something."

"What?" Haley was confused at the mention of the other Scott, "I never even saw him."

"Yeah, Peyton said you two were all in your own little world and didn't even notice," Brooke giggled, "I can't get used to you being all ga ga over a guy. It's so weird. My little girl is growing up so fast..."

Haley narrowed her eyes at the comment but her friend just laughed, "What? It's great. Haley James is human."

"Of course she is," Skillz joined them, he and his girlfriend Bevin taking seats at the table. "You think she was an alien or something?"

Brooke looked at him to see if he was serious before shaking her head and looking back at Haley. "You just never seemed that into any guy. You never even really had crushes like most girls. It's good to see you in love."

Julian joined them and Brooke's attention was diverted, allowing Haley to relax and give time for Nathan to join them, dropping his heavy backpack unceremoniously on the ground before plopping down next to Haley. "I was taking most of the same classes last week, yet I have a ton of homework to do to catch up. This sucks."

"I thought your fancy school would've put you ahead," Julian asked in confusion.

"Yeah, me too," Nathan pulled a lunch out of his bag, "but they use different text books here and some of the stuff goes in a different order."

"No biggie, I'll help you," Haley offered. "We'll get you caught up in no time."

"Thanks Hales. I guess I should be grateful that later on it'll be easy because I've already learned it, but at the moment with moving and everything, it's a bad time to be playing catch up on my classes."

"It won't affect your game will it?" Mouth joined them, "because I'm looking forward to you guys actually winning some games this year."

Nathan shook his head as he pulled out a sandwich, "Not a chance. I hate losing, so you can expect to see less of it from now on."

Lucas frowned as he came up to the table, "so it's all about you? That didn't take long. I guess we should bow down and worship you as our savior?"

"That's not what I said," Nathan defended himself, "I just meant that I'll do whatever I can to help us win games."

"Right, " Lucas nodded sarcastically, "it's about the team. Nothing to do with your scholarship or awards or anything like that."

"It's called being a good teammate. That leads to winning and the other stuff just follows..." Nathan shook his head at his brother's attitude. "You'd know if you cared about people other than yourself."

"I really don't think..." Mouth tried to step in before Lucas stared him down.

"You can think whatever you want, but it's still my team," Lucas moved his glare to his brother and sat next to Mouth, "get used to it."

Nathan was about to comment when Peyton finally arrived. The first thing she noticed was the tension at the table, the second was that they hadn't left her a seat. She attempted to lighten the mood, "Maybe we should play musical chairs?"

The others looked around, for the first time noticing the lack of room before Brooke offered a solution, "Haley can sit on Nathan's lap. They're still in that lovey dovey stage where they enjoy that stuff."

"You still enjoy sitting on my lap," Julian protested.

"Not when we're in school and fully clothed," she shook her head at him as if it were obvious. "Unless it's foreplay for later..."

Everyone else groaned and Haley looked over at Nathan, biting her lip to see his reaction to their comments, "Sure," he shrugged his shoulders gesturing to his lap, where she moved to sit, "I'll gladly take this one for the team."

Haley noted his comment and looked over at Lucas as Peyton took her seat next to them. He was too busy glaring at Brooke to notice her perusal and she couldn't help but wonder why he was acting this way. She'd hoped that after their talk the other day and finding out their reasoning, he'd be more understanding , but it seemed like he was still angry and she didn't know what to do. It was especially confusing considering what Brooke had just told her about that morning. She'd never doubted his support before, but this time she couldn't figure out if he was on their side or not and it scared her a little. If he decided he was against them, he could cause a lot of problems.

Conversation started to flow again and Haley decided she wasn't going to let Lucas ruin her mood. Moments later, she felt Nathan start to relax and go back to eating. He tried to reach around her to grab a bite but he couldn't find his sandwich with her in the way. She laughed and handed it to him and then he had to ask for his drink next. Giggling as he tried to eat and hold her, she shifted to sit sideways. The new position not only allowed him to reach his lunch, it was much more comfortable and she found herself leaning her head on his shoulder. "That's better."

They both ate for a couple minutes before Haley turned at the sound of a snap, finding Brooke taking pictures of them on her phone, "this is so adorable."

"Ooh," Haley leaned forward, reaching out, "let me see?" she accepted the phone and looked at the picture, "Oh, send that to me."

"Okay, done," Brooke accepted it back. "We can put that in a scrap book for your wedding someday," she continued. "Your first picture together."

"Their wedding?" Lucas looked back and forth in question, wondering when the brunette had been clued in.

"You know, when Haley's a doctor and Nathan is all...whatever he wants to be..." Brooke explained, "I think they'd make the cutest little kids...

"Actually," Haley tried to bring the topic back off weddings, "that's not our first picture. We took some at the carnival."

"Don't you dare," Nathan shook his head at her grin, "you promised not to show those to anyone."

"Come on, you looked so cute," Haley wrapped her arm around his shoulder as she turned toward him, "It's not like you're naked or anything..." Haley started but was cut off as Lucas slammed his drink down and stood up.

"This is ridiculous," he stormed off, throwing his bag over his shoulder and heading back to the building.

"Lucas," she started to get up before Peyton waved her off.

"I'll go," his girlfriend shook her head, "Sorry, I don't think he's really ...just let me talk to him first."

Nathan squeezed Haley's hand and mouthed "sorry", but she shook her head. It wasn't his fault Lucas was being a baby. Nathan hadn't asked for any of what was happening, he was just trying to make the best of it. She slid down onto the seat next to him and looked back at her food, but she didn't eat. She'd lost her appetite.

* * *

Haley took out her books and dropped them on her bed, exhausted from the long day at school. She'd answered tons of questions regarding Nathan and their relationship during the day and had to listen to the other girls gush over him at cheerleading practice while Rachel constantly sent her dirty looks. She was just glad they weren't working on any of the routines that involved lifts or tosses as she figured the girl would've found a way to make sure she ended up on the ground again. She certainly wasn't above spite.

After lunch she had only seen Nathan twice, once when they were in Spanish together and the other when they passed in the hallway. She had barely gotten to talk to him each time and she wondered how his day went. After how Lucas had reacted at lunch, she hoped practice hadn't been too tense. Basketball was Nathan's outlet, his way of dealing with stress and finding inner peace with something he loved and was good at. She didn't want that solace taken away from him too.

She looked at her clock and noticed he was running late. He was supposed to come over so they could talk about what she'd learned about the wedding details and work on his homework, but it was past the time she'd expected him. She texted him and then sat down and leaned back against her pillows, her eyes closing as she tried to relax for a minute. The past month had been beyond stressful and she just wanted to take a short break and try to ease some of the tension before plowing back into the stress of wedding details. She knew a few minutes of quiet would do wonders for her peace of mind.

Ten minutes later Nathan knocked on her open door, peeking his head inside when he didn't get a response. He smiled for the first time in hours when he saw why she hadn't answered, her body curled up against her pillows in her sleep. She looked so young and peaceful that he didn't want to disturb her, trying to ease the door closed in his retreat.

"Nathan?" she stirred at the squeak of the door, shaking her head to rid herself of the cobwebs of sleep, "sorry, I guess I dozed off."

"It's okay," he shrugged, stepping into the room, "I think I could sleep for a month."

Haley nodded, "I know the feeling."

He stood awkwardly, not knowing how to behave now that they were alone. They'd been acting like a couple all day and while he knew that was an act and not how he should treat her in private, it didn't seem quite right to be distant and sit across the room either. Settling for a compromise, he grabbed her desk chair and pulled it over toward the bed. Setting his backpack next to hers on the bed he pulled out his work, "sorry about being late, I had something to deal with after practice."

"No big deal," she pulled out a notebook, "I thought maybe we should talk about the wedding first."

She gave him a rundown of what she'd found out from the various places she'd called and showed him her chart, "I think we should go with the church gardens."

Nathan was overwhelmed at the information and perfectly happy to leave that decision up to her, but a little concerned about the timing, "Is there going to be enough time for that? I know sooner is better, but that's less than 3 weeks away."

Haley nodded, "I'm sure we can make it work if we keep it small like we talked about. I'm more worried about it being the day after the Boy Toy Auction, that'll make any kind of rehearsal difficult."

Nathan narrowed his eyes in confusion, "the what?"

Haley laughed at the look on his face before explaining the logistics of the event, knowing for the first time she'd actually enjoy it, although she always went for Luke, "I'm surprised Coach hasn't talked to you about it. It's for charity and all the players have to do it."

"You're serious?" he asked, "it sounds ridiculous."

Haley shrugged, "Most of the guys enjoy it and turn it into a contest to see who can bring in the most money. They really ham it up sometimes. It's fun"

Nathan wasn't convinced he would enjoy it, but she wasn't the one to argue with about it, "I guess we'll see. Maybe I can get out of it, you know, since it's the day before the wedding."

"You can try," Haley grinned knowingly, "but I wouldn't count on it."

Nathan leaned back in his chair, not wanting to think about it any further, "so back to the wedding," he couldn't believe that was the preferable topic, but went with it anyway, "You sure that's what you want to do? I know that's where you said you always wanted, but this is...you know...I'm pretty sure it's not the way you dreamed it."

The words hurt, but Haley'd already heard them before and accepted their truth. Despite her feelings for him, his lack of the same made what could've been an exciting time for her bittersweet. "I'm sure. Besides, I may never get married again anyway," she'd thought about the idea over the years and know having fallen for Nathan she was starting to think they'd probably be true. If she didn't end up with him, she didn't think she'd want to marry anyone else, "Medical school and internships take an enormous amount of time and then being a doctor is more of the same. I don't ever want to be an absentee parent like...I just don't, and it's really hard on any relationship. I could be wrong and I'll change my mind someday, but...there it is."

Nathan frowned at her words, having a hard time accepting them despite the fact that her reasoning was solid. She was one of the, if not the, most caring, loving people he knew and it would be a shame for her to live her life alone, to never be a mother. He had a brief flash of her pushing a little blonde haired boy on a swing and shook his head, knowing if it ever happened he'd probably not see it. "I guess that makes sense," he admitted, "but it would really be a shame. You'd be an awesome mom."

Haley ducked her head, "Maybe someday I will be," she conceded, "so that's settled about the date and place," she tried to get them back on topic before she blurted out that she did want to be married but only to him and that she did want kids, if they were his. She sighed, "I'll call first thing tomorrow and book it before someone else takes it. Cancellations like this are rare."

Nathan agreed and he let her talk about wedding details for a little while longer, his mind drifting more than once back to the idea of her working to save lives and yet being alone herself. It just didn't sit right with him when she deserved so much more. "So you okay with that?"

"Hmm?" he'd missed the question, "what was that last bit?"

"Were you listening at all?"

He thought back, "Um, purple flowers and Karen's food?"

She narrowed her eyes, "that's better than I expected, but I think we'll drop this for tonight. It's getting late and we should at least start on your homework."

He nodded gratefully and opened his Spanish book, "that's a good idea."

* * *

Nathan sat on his bed doing his physical therapy excerices after he returned from Haley's. He was a little sore despite being in great shape. He'd done everything except the scrimmaging part and despite Whitey's expected tough practice, it felt good to be back out there for the most part. What hadn't felt good was being shut out. Not only had his teammates made it obvious they didn't want him there, the only ones to even talk to him were Skillz and Jake, both guys he'd met during the summer. The rest of the team seemed firmly under Lucas' control and he did his best to pretend Nathan wasn't even there.

He groaned as he flexed his wrist under the strain of the band and wished he could talk to Q. This was the third time Nathan had switched schools, but the first two times he'd had his best friend as an ally and he hadn't had anyone already there causing problems for him. He'd easily fit in and become one of the popular kids, something that he'd already learned wouldn't be as easy in Tree Hill.

His phone rang and he sighed, expecting it to be his mother as he'd missed her call earlier and hadn't yet returned it. "Hey," he answered, "sorry, I meant to call but I've been doing my rehab..."

"Well good for you. I'm so proud," Q's voice came over the phone mocking him, "should I give you a sticker?"

"Q," Nathan brightened, "Hey, I thought you were my mom. How's it going? I saw you guys won the other night."

"Yeah, but it would've been better with you. Russ is a dick and now that you're gone, he has it in his head that he's the star," Quentin complained, "I don't know if we'll survive the season without coming to blows."

Nathan could easily imagine, "You'll figure it out," he reassured him. "There's somebody like that every year..."

"Yeah, but it's usually you," Quentin argued, "I know how to handle you."

"Hey," Nathan laughed, "I'm not cocky."

"About anything except basketball I would agree, but you can be a little..."

"Confidence is not the same thing," Nathan cut him off. "You don't get to our level without trusting your abilitiies. If you start doubting yourself, all hell breaks loose."

"Good," Quentin felt himself relax a little, "just making sure you remember that. How'd your first day go?"

Nathan sighed and let himself fall back against the pillows on his bed, " School was pretty boring, lots of stares and pointing. Several girls offered to help me find my way around," he rolled his eyes, "but nothing major. I only had a couple of classes with people I knew and luckily none with Lucas."

"Still having problems with the evil one?" Q asked, "I'm willing to come down there and beat him up if you need it..."

"Please stop calling him that," Nathan tried not to laugh, "It's just awkward. I don't want to piss him off because he knows the truth and could cause problems. Plus, every time we argue or anything it puts Haley in a bad position and I hate that."

"But you can't let him hold it over your head or use it as an excuse to cause problems for you."

"I know, and so far he's trying to just avoid me as much as possible, but he controls the rest of the guys," Nathan explained, "If we're going to build any kind of team once I get this damn brace off, we need to be able to at least get along again."

"Don't let him push you around," Q advised, "he might be the captain, but you're the best player and people follow you. If he doesn't come around, you might have to stage a mutiny."

"I really hope it doesn't come to anything like that," Nathan shook his head, "I would really prefer to do it together, for all of our sakes, but..."

"What? Did something happen?" Q could hear the hesitation in his friend, "what did he do?"

"I doubt it was him," Nathan sighed, "but someone threw my clothes in the shower and soaked them all during practice. It's not a big deal, just typical new guy BS, but I thought I was done with that crap, at least until college."

"I know you don't like to make waves," Quentin agreed, "but you have as much right to be there as he does. Don't let any of them make you feel like you don't and don't let them bully you..."

Nathan knew his friend was right, but it was a lot easier to say than to actually do. When the guys were freezing him out at practice today, he'd certainly felt like an outsider. He just hoped that once they got to know each other and he got a chance to prove himself, things would change. "I'll try," was the best he could say.

Quentin had said his piece and was willing to change the subject, "so how's short stuff? You didn't tell me if she liked the ring."

"Yes, she liked it," Nathan smiled as he remembered her reaction, "and she's doing well. She's taking everything in stride, much better than I am..."

"You know, you're really lucky," Quentin told him after hearing a rundown of the past couple of days, "You're crazy if you don't hold on to her."

Nathan sighed, "I can't, you know that, but I'll admit that sometimes, I really wish I could."


	32. Chapter 32

Ch 32

Nathan stretched out his sore muscles and stepped to the free throw line, swishing a pair as everyone else left the gym to head home. Practice was over, but he wanted to get some more shots up, both to help clear his head and to get himself back in form. Besides, after the previous days, he wasn't eager to find out what kind of surprise they'd left for him anyway. The hazing wasn't anything terrible, some of it was actually stuff he'd had done to him and helped do to new freshman before, but it was an added annoyance and test to his already strained patience that he didn't need right then. He was working to get caught up in school and to learn the new plays at practice, combining that with trying to plan a wedding and getting no sleep, he felt like he was about to snap.

Every little thing brought him one step closer to breaking and frankly after Lucas' attitude an hour earlier, he'd almost let loose all over his brother's face, instead settling for a shove that he instantly regretted. The last thing he wanted was for Lucas to know he was getting to him, yet in a moment of anger he'd given the jerk exactly what he'd been hoping for.

His brother's attitude still surprised him a little, although it probably shouldn't. He'd thought they'd come to an understanding before he left, but now they were back to square one and he wasn't sure what he could do to make it any better. Haley still swore the elder Scott brother was a good guy, but he was getting tired to waiting for that guy to make an appearance. The one he was dealing with was an ass.

Whitey came back into the gym as Nathan prepared to shoot again, his jacket over his arm as he prepared to leave, "good practice Nathan. You'll be ready as soon as you're cleared."

Nathan accepted the compliment with an incline of his head, "thanks. It'll be nice when I can go full tilt."

"Be patient," Whitey cautioned, "with all of it." He paused and Nathan was about to grab a ball and go back to his shooting when he started again, feeling like he needed to say more. The situation was rocky with his team and he wanted the young man in front of him to know that he realized what was going on and willing to help, "Look, I've stayed out of what's going on because I figured if you wanted me to do anything, you'd have come to me, but I can put a stop to it..."

"I can handle it," Nathan shrugged, "I just can't help but feel like it's personal."

"Maybe it is. He's spoiled, your brother," Whitey picked up a ball, bouncing it a few times before passing it to his player. "I don't think he's a bad person, I've seen him to good things, but he doesn't know how to share. He's scared and he's lashing out at you because he doesn't know what else to do. Your old man has always preached being the best is everything and..."

"Excuse me if I'm getting a little sick of people making excuses for him," Nathan shook his head in annoyance. If he heard one more person give a reason for Luke's behavior he felt like he'd burst. "Because that's all this is, another excuse. Poor baby is used to having so much that he doesn't know how to handle sharing some of it... He doesn't know how to handle his emotions so he hits the other kid... It sounds like what people say about two year olds. He needs to grow up."

"Can't say you're wrong or blame you for being angry," Whitey sighed. He guessed he was sometimes guilty of doing exactly what he'd just been accused of, "I agree with you and I've done what I could, but he doesn't listen. Frankly, I'm impressed with your willpower. I would've decked him by now when I was your age."

"I seriously came close a little while ago," Nathan admitted, "he has a way of getting under my skin."

"As you do his," Whitey pointed out. He wasn't sure what to do to make things easier for the kid in front of him, but he wished he did. "It'll get better. You're already gaining the rest of the team's respect. That'll go a long way toward making things easier and I'm willing to step in at any time."

"No, I don't want that," Nathan shook his head. He'd been through this rite of passage stuff before and knew how it worked. No matter why they were doing it, he had to get through it himself.

"Okay, but I have a feeling you're already going through a lot right now and from one guy who's been there to another, I'm here if you need anything."

Nathan nodded, not wanting to give himself away, "I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

"I can't believe it took me so long to fully realize what an ass you've become," Haley was waiting for Lucas outside by his car when he arrived. She'd been pacing ever since her practice ended, determined to let her supposed friend have it, and she practically exploded as soon as he reached her. "I've buried my head and made excuses for you, but I can't do it anymore. What you're doing to Nathan is wrong."

Lucas frowned at her tone, but shrugged it off, "Come on Hales, don't get your panties in a twist, we're just rattling his cage. We always do it to new players, it's not a big deal."

"But he's not just a new player," she countered, "he's your brother and you know what he's already dealing with. Don't you think he has enough stuff rattling him right now?"

Lucas looked abashed for a moment but quickly pushed it away, "He'll get over it. I can't believe he whined to you about it anyway. We're just initiating him to the team. If anything, he should be grateful Damien's gone. He did way worse stuff..."

Haley's hands went to her hips and she sighed. She couldn't believe it had come so far before she realized it, "He didn't say a word, I saw it myself at practice today and when I said something to Brooke, she told me some other stuff she'd heard about. I want it to stop."

"Come on, it's all in fun. I'm not even the one doing it," he tried to make excuses.

"Well it's not fun for him, or for me. You might claim it isn't your doing, but those guys don't do things without your permission," Haley poked him in the chest, "so even if it wasn't your hands getting dirty, it's still on you."

"You're blowing this out of proportion," Lucas stepped back, getting angry himself. "This is nothing."

"No, it's you using some lame team ritual to try and punish your brother for messing up your perfect little world," Haley shook her head, tears trying to find their way to the surface. "It's ridiculous and I'm not going to stand by and watch it happen. If you don't stop this, we're done. I love you and you've always had my back, but I can't overlook it this time. It's wrong."

"So you're choosing him over me," Lucas scowled, "you're just dumping over ten years of friendship because he said a few nice words to you?"

"If that's what you're getting out of this, then I guess I know I'm making the right choice," Haley stepped back, the tears starting to slide down her cheeks, "You aren't the person you used to be, the guy I was so close to. He would've loved having a little brother and been his closest ally and staunchest protector. He hated bullying and was friends with everyone. I never thought he'd be the one putting other people down. I guess I didn't want to see it, but you've changed and I don't like who you've become."

"Well what about you? You've taken his side from the beginning. The old you wouldn't have dropped me for someone new either. You used to be loyal," Lucas was at a loss, running his hands through his hair, "What's so great about him that everyone rallies around him?

"It isn't about him," Haley shook her head, frustrated that he couldn't even see what was happening, "it's about you."

"No, it's about him trying to take everything that was mine, my team, my friends, my dad...even you."

"Do you think he wanted any of this? To come here and go through all this?" Haley cut off his complaining. "He didn't. You're so caught up in yourself that you can't see what's right in front of you. He didn't want your life or your dad or any of it. He'd already lost the only father he'd ever known and all he wanted was for his mom be healthy and to stay at the school he worked so hard to go to. That's it. He didn't ask for her to get sick, or to meet a father he didn't even know existed. He didn't want to leave everything he'd ever known to come here and start all over for his last year of High School."

"But he," Lucas tried.

"No," Haley wasn't backing down, "No, he didn't want any of that, but his mom was sick, really, really sick, and he made the only choice he felt like he could to at least make it possible she'd be alive to see him do all the things you take for granted. I respect the hell out of him for it, for being willing to sacrifice so much for someone else's wellbeing."

She sighed and her voice got quiet, "Can you even imagine what he's going through? What if your mother was sick and you were the only one who had a chance to save her? It would sure make the people around you who were so worried about being popular seem awfully petty."

She picked up her bag from the ground, exhausted from what seemed like a battle, "when you figure out what's really important, you know where to find me."

* * *

Nathan walked into the gym on Thursday excited to have his brace off and finally be able to really play for the first time in what seemed to him like forever. It was amazing how much he'd missed the competition and the adrenaline of really playing, of testing himself against competition. With everything going on in his life, he needed the outlet it gave him more than ever.

He changed for practice and headed for the court, annoyed that he'd gotten a late start because his teacher wanted to talk to him after class. With what'd been happening lately he didn't want to be alone in the locker room and felt a moment of worry when Lucas came back from the gym, shutting the door behind him. "I'd like to talk to you."

"I don't think so," Nathan refused to cower and he wasn't in the mood for more mind games, he just wanted to play ball and forget about all the other crap in his life for a while. "There's nothing to be said at this point."

"I'm sorry," Lucas blurted out when Nathan started to walk past him. "I'm done making things hard for you. I called off the other guys too."

Nathan turned, surprise and skepticism clearly visible on his face, "I'm supposed to believe this? Why?"

"I talked to Haley yesterday and..."

"I should've known she was up to something," Nathan groaned, looking at Lucas he narrowed his eyes, "So what, you're scared of little Haley? Did she make you promise to say you're sorry?"

"No," Lucas looked at the ground for a minute. He knew he deserved whatever Nathan dished out, but it didn't make it any easier to take. "She did give me a lot to think about though, and she's right."

"She usually is, but from what I can see, it hasn't seemed to matter to you much," Nathan said what he thought was obvious. "Is that all?

Lucas fought off the urge to say something nasty, knowing he had to keep his cool if there was going to be a chance he could make any progress toward fixing things, "I've never looked at this from your point of view. It must really suck that your mom is so sick and...

"Don't you dare feel sorry for me," Nathan put up his hand to ward off any more words, "I don't want your pity."

"NO, I know, that's not what this is, I just...Haley made me realize what an ass I've been. I thought about it all night, I couldn't even sleep... I've made it all about me and what I might lose... I couldn't see what anyone else was going through," Lucas paused and ran his hands down his face, "maybe I just didn't want to."

Nathan put his hands on his hips, not sure what to think of the confession, "We've kind of been here before," he finally said, deciding it really didn't matter at that point, " we made a truce and tried to be friends. It didn't really last long. Maybe we're just not meant to ever be...anything to each other. I'm not sure I even want it at this point."

Lucas nodded, "Maybe you're right, but we shouldn't be enemies either."

Nathan sighed, "I've never been your enemy Lucas. I've got too much going on to even worry about you right now except how you affect basketball and Haley." He took a few steps and grabbed the handle of the door before turning back with a warning, "If you keep hurting her though, we will be."

* * *

Nathan caught a pass from Jake and dribbled it up the sideline, crossing over and taking it the basket for a one handed dunk. "Oooh," his teammates cheered the play, giving him hi fives and whoops. Even the cheerleaders taking a drink break were excited by the move.

"We might actually win a few games this year," Tim said to Lucas, nudging him in the side, "your brother is the real deal dude."

"Shut up Tim," the blonde retorted, "if you played any defense, he wouldn't have scored at all."

"I didn't see you stopping him either," Tim snapped back, taking a step away, "In fact, he keeps playing like that, you'll be sitting next to me on the bench."

Lucas looked over at Nathan who was now deep in conversation with Skillz and Whitey. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep up with his dark haired counterpart. He was trying not to let it bother him, but no matter what he did well, it seemed like Nathan did something better and it was beyond frustrating. He looked over at Haley whose eyes were glued on Nathan. He hadn't even managed to succeed at apologizing properly and until he did, he'd basically lost her as well.

Whitey blew his whistle and they got ready to start again, "Lucas," the coach yelled out, "switch teams with Nathan."

Nathan pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the side as Lucas grabbed a jersey and slowly pulled it over his head. They took their new places and Nathan's team inbounded the ball, Skillz bringing the ball up the court and setting up the offense. He called out 23, a new play Whitey had just added for Nathan, and the younger Scott ran around the three point arc taking Lucas through two picks before going up for an alley-oop, catching the pass and putting down a two handed dunk with Lucas trailing helplessly behind. He hung on the rim for a moment before dropping down and pumping his fist in the air and celebrating with his teammates. It felt so good to do that again, like he was coming awake after a long nap. "That's what I'm talking about."

"All right," Whitey yelled, "cut the crap. The other team could've scored while you guys yucked it up. Set up your defense."

Nathan didn't have to be told twice, he got in position and waited for the other team to inbound the ball. When Tim lazily tossed the first pass toward Lucas, he cut in between and knocked it away, running hard toward the sideline to try and save it from going out of bounds. Lucas did the same and at the last second when Nathan bent to pick it up, the blonde bumped into him, causing him to stumble head first into the extended bleachers.

Everyone ran to his side, Whitey immediately calling for the trainer and keeping Nathan from moving.

Lucas stood off to the side in panic. He'd been angry and frustrated, but he hadn't meant for that to happen. He'd just been going for the ball, "I'm sorry," he mumbled to no one in particular.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Haley asked as she came rushing by, immediately pushing her way through and falling to her knees at Nathan's side, grasping his hand as the trainer arrived and started checking him over. He slid on a neck brace to immobilize him as Whitey tried to stop the bleeding from his head, "I think he should definitely be tested for a concussion and with that kind of a fall, there's always risk to the spinal cord. On top of the fact that he most likely needs stitches."

"I'm okay," Nathan tried move but was held in place and overruled as they continued to check him over. Before long, the paramedics arrived with a stretcher and prepared to move him. Haley demanded to go with them, unwilling to let go of his hand as they attempted to place him on a back board.

"It's just for precaution miss, but you have to let us do our job," the paramedic reasoned with her, "you can follow, but only family is allowed in the ambulance."

"I'm his fiancée," she blurted out, stunning the group around them. The paramedics looked down at Nathan, "Is this true?"

"Yes," Nathan agreed, starting to panic a little as they immobilized him, "please let her come."

They agreed and he was loaded into the ambulance, Haley right at his side. She talked to him the entire way, trying to keep herself calm. She wiped the tears from her face, "I saw you fall and it was like it happened in slow motion...the sound and the blood.."

"I'm okay Hales," Nathan squeezed her hand, hoping he was right, "It's going to be okay."

"What if it isn't? I can't believe he would do something like that. I won't ever forgive him for this."

Nathan didn't know what to think, especially with his head pounding the way it was. All he knew was he was going for the ball and then hitting the bleachers full force. He closed his eyes, willing the pain to subside as Haley continued, "I warned him..."

Nathan couldn't believe he was going to say this, "you don't know that it was on purpose Hales. Sometimes these things just happen. We were both going for the ball."

"He pushed you," Haley's eyes widened in disbelief, "and he's been treating you like trash. How can you defend him?"

Nathan winced, trying to will away the discomfort of laying on what could only described as a torture device. He didn't know why he was defending the guy who had been a thorn in his side. He should be glad Haley was finally seeing him as a jerk, but somehow he just couldn't believe that his brother had meant for this to happen, "I'm not defending what he's done before this, I just don't think he tried to hurt me."

Haley was stunned, "Are you sure?"

"I can't be, but it's how I feel," Nathan admitted. He saw the shock on her face, "Believe me, it surprises me as much as it does you."

* * *

"You're a lucky man, even if you look like a prize fighter," Whitey walked into the observation room where Nathan was being treated, taking in the battered kid in front of him. "2 staples and some bruises. Looked a lot worse when you were bleeding all over my floor."

Nathan chuckled and then grabbed his head, "and a hell of a headache."

Whitey nodded, "I wanted you to know, I'm suspending Lucas. I can't have this kind of stuff happening on my team. You could've been seriously injured."

Nathan closed his eyes for a moment and debated with himself. Things would be so much easier if Lucas wasn't on the team, but it wasn't right when he didn't think it had been malicious. Groaning, he couldn't believe he was about to defend the guy for the second time in just a few hours, "I don't think you should."

Coach's eyebrows rose, "you think I should let him get away with this?"

"No, I don't think he meant to hurt me," he paused for a moment, "I've been thinking about it while I've been stuck in here and I don't remember any kind of push or anything. I think we just collided and I lost my balance," Nathan explained. "Believe me, it would be easier to blame him, but I think it was an accident."

Whitey was surprised, "so you don't want him off the team?"

"He apologized to me before practice for the other stuff and I think he was sincere. He's done some pretty crappy stuff, but I don't think this is his fault," Nathan shrugged, "and I think the team needs him if we're going to have any chance at winning."

"He's going to have to at least go on probation," Whitey was hesitant, but he wasn't close enough to the play to argue with his player's assessment, "One more thing and he'll be gone."

Nathan held up his hands, "I'm fine with that. I'm not defending anything else he's done, I have my own problems with that, but as much as a part of me would love to see him off the team, I don't think it's fair to do it, and throw away our season, over this."

"I'll think about it," Whitey said, putting his hat back on his head he turned, "your fiancée is out there practically breaking down the door to get back in here," he said. "I'll get that story out of you later. Just tell me one thing. Is she pregnant?"

"No," Nathan rolled his eyes, "why does everyone assume that?"

"Well son, most high-schoolers don't just decide to get married and you have to admit with your family history, it's not much of a stretch," Whitey teased him before becoming serious again. "Marriage can be a wonderful thing. Just make sure it's what you really want and only do it for the right reasons. Does Dan know?"

"He didn't, but he might now," Nathan cringed. "I'm planning on heading home tomorrow after practice to talk to my mom first."

"Well then, I wish you luck in telling him," Whitey felt bad for the kid, it just seemed he couldn't catch a break, "Just don't let him bully you. It's your life."

Nathan nodded and Whitey turned to leave, turning back at the last minute, "Oh, and congratulations. Haley's a hell of a catch."

* * *

Haley was pacing the waiting room, waiting for the old coach to come back out so she could get back to Nathan. The doctors said he was fine, but she hadn't been able to see that for herself since they took him to run the tests and she was on edge. It was hard to believe he was okay when just hours ago she'd been so scared for him. She looked over at Lucas, sitting in a chair against the wall with his head in his hands, obviously upset. She felt torn as she watched him beat himself up over what happened. The long time friend in her felt the urge to go comfort him and yet she was still angry with him and blamed him for all of them being there in the first place. Eventually the friend in her won out and she made her way to his side, taking a seat. "They say he's going to be fine. Sore probably, but okay."

Lucas nodded without raising his head, "I keep replaying that moment over and over in my head. I was angry with all the attention he was getting and frustrated that he kept beating me. Did I subconsciously do this to get rid of him? Have I really fallen that far?"

"I don't know, I hope not," Haley sighed, pausing for a moment. "Nathan doesn't blame you."

Lucas raised his head and she was surprised to notice his eyes were red rimmed, "He doesn't?"

She shook her head no, "we talked in the ambulance and he says it was an accident. He also told me you apologized. Did you mean it?"

Lucas nodded, "I can't say I still don't feel the same things, but I thought a lot about what you said and you're right. It is what it is and instead of spending my time taking it out on him, I should be doing what he is and figuring out how to make the best of it."

"I really hope you mean that Luke," Haley leaned her head on his shoulder, "because I don't want to lose you and Nathan could really use a big brother."

"I'm not sure that'll ever happen, but I'm going to at least make an effort to handle all of this better," he leaned back in his chair. "I've been watching you. Not just today, although it would've been enough. You love him, don't you? It's not just about his mom."

Haley bit her lip but nodded, "I didn't mean to, it's certainly not the situation I would've chosen, but I do...so much that it's scary sometimes. I have no idea what I'm doing..."

Lucas had already known it was the truth, yet it still felt like a punch in the gut to hear. Trying to keep to his vow to think of others, he kept his feelings to himself, "Have you told him?"

She shook her head, "I can't. We have an agreement and I can't put him in that position. It's not fair to him, especially with everything else that's going on."

"What about what's fair to you?" Lucas asked.

"What's fair to me is seeing him happy. That's all I care about. If I can help with that, then no matter what happens, it's worth it to me," Haley stood as Whitey came out of the room, turning back to her friend before going back to see Nathan, "That's the thing about real love Luke, it often comes with sacrifice."

* * *

Haley walked into the small room where Nathan was waiting to be discharged, her eyes tracing the contours of his bare chest where apparently he'd discarded his gown. He looked like he was asleep and she set down the spare shirt Whitey had thought to give her for him before sitting on the side of the bed and picking up his hand, "I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what I would've done if this had been more serious." She hadn't ever felt as terrified as she had when she saw him crumple to the ground, the blood flowing from his head. It had felt like her heart stopped and was only now starting to finally work right again. "I was so scared."

"Hey," he stirred, the pain medicine they finally consented to give him making him groggy, "you can't get rid of me that easy."

She laughed through the tears that were falling again, wiping them away with the back of her hand while still holding his with her other one, "I guess that's good to know. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got my head bashed in," Nathan cringed, his free hand coming up to trace the spot on his head where they'd closed the wound. "The medicine helps some but it makes me sleepy."

Haley nodded, "you should probably rest. They said it would probably be a little while yet before we can take you home."

"Is Dan here?" Nathan asked.

"He's on his way. He was in Charlotte for the day, but he should be here soon," she explained, her thumb tracing his, "I'm sorry about letting the cat out of the bag earlier."

Nathan thought for a moment before realizing what she meant, "they were going to find out sometime. We can't keep it a secret forever."

"I know, but you wanted to tell your mom first and now everyone around here probably knows. I bet Brooke heard and she's probably dying to find out why I didn't tell her yet and Dan will be pissed and..."

"Haley," Nathan squeezed her hand to get her attention, "it's okay."

"You're right, it will be," Haley nodded, trying to sound more positive than she felt. "He sounded pretty scared on the phone, maybe his relief that you're okay will help temper his anger a bit. Do you think so?"

Nathan smiled as she rambled, something she only did when she was nervous, "it'll be fine either way." He lifted her chin and brought her eyes back to his, "It would be easier if he just accepts it, but I don't need his approval or his permission. I won't even need his roof over my head in two more days."

Haley nodded, "I know, but it would be nice, wouldn't it? To have his support? I can't imagine not having my parents behind me. Even when they were away, I always knew I could count on them."

"I have my mom," Nathan closed his eyes for a moment and waited for the pain to subside, "She's all I ever needed. It's why I can't lose her."

Haley leaned forward and rested her hand on his cheek, "we won't let that happen."

He reached up and covered her hand, now holding both of them. "I don't know what I'd do without you Hales. These last few months would've been unbearable without your support."

"So I guess it's true," Dan stepped into the room, shaking his head in disgust as he saw the two of them cozied up on the bed, "What were you thinking Nathan? Didn't my history teach you anything?"


	33. Chapter 33

Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been busy and then I had some trouble with this chapter. I'm finally relatively happy with it now, so hope you enjoy it too.

 **Ch 33**

"So I guess it's true," Dan stepped into the room, shaking his head in disgust as he saw the two of them cozied up on the bed, "What were you thinking Nathan? Didn't my history teach you anything? I thought you were smarter than that."

Haley jumped in surprise at the intrusion, instinctively making an attempt to pull away from Nathan in embarrassment. The man in front of her made her feel awkward under the best of circumstances, but as upset as he looked, she felt extra uncomfortable. Nathan sensed her reaction but held her hands fast, stopping her withdrawal and trying to calm her sudden nerves with a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

"Nice to see you too," he quipped to his visitor. "Thanks for the concern."

Dan took a deep breath and shifted on his feet, his legitimate worry warring with his anger at what he'd just found out, "I'm here aren't I? It wasn't easy to get here this quickly and now I find out there's a lot more to be worried about than your health. What are you thinking?" he started to pace, shaking his head the entire time, "You're way too young to be making this kind of decision. There are other ways to deal with a pregnancy..."

Nathan's formerly calm face turned to steel and Haley could feel his whole body shake in anger, "Well, you've seen that I'm okay and I'm in good hands. Now you can get out."

"Are you kidding? I have this bombshell dropped on me and I'm supposed to just walk away?" Dan was incredulous, "That's not going to happen."

"Why not? You've done it before."

Haley put her free hand on Nathan's chest to calm him, feeling his heart beating like crazy underneath her fingers. The doctors said he didn't have a concussion, but he'd lost a lot of blood and this couldn't be good for him, especially with all the stress he'd been under.

"That's not fair," Dan took a step back at the attack. "I didn't know about you then. I'm trying to make up for it now."

"Maybe you are, and maybe it's not fair, but when has anything in my life ever been fair? You just left my mom without a backward glance, and now that I'm an adult, I'm just supposed to forget all of that, everything we went through, and let you tell me what to do? Treat me like a little kid? " Nathan shook his head at the idea. "It doesn't work that way. Every time I start to think I can trust you, you do something to remind me why I can't..."

"You want to talk about trust?" Dan crossed his arms angrily. "I obviously shouldn't have trusted you..."

"Mr. Scott, I'm not sure where you got your information," Haley tried to be the peacemaker. She could feel the tension in the younger Scott and she didn't want the confrontation to get any further out of hand. "Whatever you heard, I'm not pregnant."

"Thank God," Dan released a sigh, his body sagging in relief, "I'm glad I heard wrong. They said you two were getting married and I was devastated. I didn't want to believe you would do something so stupid."

"Actually, we are getting married," she continued, twisting her hand so their fingers were entwined, "I love Nathan very much and we..."

"You barely know him," Dan scoffed, his snapping back to attention and reeling from the unexpected news. He couldn't figure out why they would get married so young when they hadn't even been together long, but a thought popped into his head and he latched on, "but I'm sure you love his money. You sniffed around Lucas for years and now that Nathan is set to inherit you're suddenly in love..."

Haley was annoyed by the comment about Lucas, but too confused about the last part of the statement to worry about it at the moment, "What about Nathan inheriting money?" How had he found out and if he had, why was he surprised at their marriage?

"Oh come on Miss James," Dan rolled his eyes, "don't play dumb. I know you're smart enough to realize I'm not going to leave my son high and dry, no matter what he might think. I've already added him into my will. Of course, hopefully he won't inherit any of it for a while, but you seem like the patient type..."

Haley looked at Nathan and they both breathed a brief sigh of relief that's all he meant, followed by anger at his opinion of them, "I can't believe..." Haley started but Nathan cut her off.

"Haley has more integrity than anyone I know, and I won't let you talk to her that way" Nathan shifted, trying in vain to sit up straighter. Haley helped him adjust the bed and get comfortable before he continued. "The fact that you're accusing her of being a gold digger is ridiculous. Truth is," he reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, "I had to practically beg her to marry me."

Dan looked between the two, not knowing how to respond to that. He had rushed across the state, trying to prepare himself for any possible outcome concerning Nathan, but injuries were so different from what situation he'd discovered when he arrived. This was something he hadn't imagined happening for several more years and he thought he'd have time to prepare, "You're so young," he softened his tone and tried to reason with them, realizing he was on the verge of being kicked out of the room, "if it's right, then in a few years you can do it then. What's the rush?"

"One of the things I've learned is that you can't take anything for granted, especially time with your loved ones," Nathan looked down at Haley who gave him a reassuring smile.

"But this seems so hurried," Dan fought to understand their insistence. "How can you possibly be sure you're not making a huge mistake?"

"Sometimes, you just know it's the right thing to do," Haley squeezed Nathan's hand, "this is one of them."

* * *

Dan sat on the edge of his bed, still unsettled by the earlier conversation with his son. How could someone so young be so confident, so settled? When he was that age he hadn't thought about much beyond basketball and partying, Lucas was the same way. It was hard to wrap his head around his younger son being mature enough to handle what Nathan already had much less taking on marriage.

"Are you still stewing over Nathan getting married?" Karen came out of the bathroom, rubbing some lotion into her arms. "You need to let it go."

"I made an ass of myself, again," Dan shook his head, pulling off a shoe and throwing it into his closet, "but how can I just stand by and let him make a decision that he's not ready for? He doesn't understand how hard it is to be married young. I don't want him to struggle like we did."

"He seems like a pretty smart kid," Karen shrugged, "I doubt this is just a whim. He knows more than most how hard things can be."

"I know," Dan sighed, slipping off his pants and placing them in the hamper, "and I regret being part of the reason for that, but like you said, even if he's mature, he's still a kid. I don't feel like I'd be doing my job if I don't at least try to change his mind, but at this point I don't think he'd listen to anything I said."

Karen climbed into bed, sitting up against the headboard and pulling the blankets over her lap, "I understand, but I think you're looking at this the wrong way. You've already made your opinion known, right?" His nodding head gave her confirmation and she continued, "then I think you have to hope he takes it into consideration, but if he doesn't, you have to just be there for him."

"How am I supposed to let this go on? This marriage is ridiculous," Dan couldn't believe what she was saying, "How would you feel if it was Lucas?"

"It's not the same," Karen argued, turning to rest on her elbow so she could face him fully, "Lucas isn't as responsible and he wouldn't be able to do it without our permission. Nathan is legally an adult. We can't stop him and if we want to stay in his life, we don't have much of a choice but to support him."

"You could try and talk to him," Dan tried, "people always listen to you."

"I don't think it'll work this time," Karen patted his hand, "I'm not sure he'd listen to me if I told him the sky was blue. He still thinks I hid him from you, and while I didn't, I have made mistakes with him too."

Dan knew she was right, but sitting back and watching from the sidelines wasn't his style. He wasn't sure he could do it, "I can't pretend I'm happy about it."

"You don't have to," his wife reached out as he sat down next to her, "he already knows how you feel. What he needs to see is that you are there if he needs you. Especially if he makes mistakes. "

Dan nodded reluctantly, "I know you're right, just promise me you'll be my support because this is not going to be easy."

"It never is with you," she chucked, nudging his shoulder. "We've done alright so far."

* * *

Nathan and Haley arrived at his home after the long drive tired and lost in their separate thoughts. Haley was still upset over Brooke refusal to speak to her all day after the bombshell the previous night and Nathan was still stewing over Dan's words to them after that same revelation. Both of them had been happy to skip their respective practices for the trip, but neither was in the mood for the upcoming confrontation they knew was inevitable.

They walked into the front door of the pub and found his mother still working, her short blonde hair growing back in and making her look younger than the last time Haley had seen her. It was a shock to realize just how young and beautiful she was.

"Nate, hi," she noticed their arrival, coming around the bar to give him a big hug, "and Haley," she released him to give her a hug as well, "I'm so glad you two came to visit, but Ben called off sick and I'm stuck here for another hour or so. Can I get you something while you wait?"

They both ordered some dessert and sat down at one of the few empty tables off to the side. Haley had only glimpsed the downstairs area when she came the previous time, but she was impressed now. "It smells really good in here."

Nathan nodded, waving to someone as they passed. Several people had already stopped them on the way over to their seats to say hello or to ask how he was doing and he made an effort to be friendly, despite being obviously preoccupied.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Haley asked as they started to eat their newly arrived food. "It might help."

He sighed and looked over at her, for the first time really showing the burdens he was carrying. "I can't seem to make up my mind, especially after what happened with Dan. I feel like I'm going to be hurting her either way."

"But you're doing this for her," Haley protested, "I'm sure she'll understand."

"Am I?" he wondered aloud. "I keep thinking and the more I do, the more I wonder if I'm not being selfish. If she's decided to stop fighting, if she can't do it anymore, who am I to force her to keep suffering through all the pain and treatments just so I don't have to lose her?"

"Listen to me," Haley shook her head at his reasoning, "you are the least selfish person I know. Your mother has chosen to stop treatments because she feels she has no choices left. I'm sure of it. She doesn't want to leave you any more than you want her to. You aren't forcing anything on her, you are sacrificing so that she has choices again."

Nathan reached out and squeezed her hand, "Thank you. You have no idea how much I needed to hear that right now. You always know the right thing to say."

"It's a gift," Haley smiled playfully, squeezing his hand back, "Your mother loves you," she lowered her voice, serious again, "no matter what you decide, that won't change."

"Sometimes I feel guilty dragging you through all this," Nathan pulled back and wiped his hands down his face. "You barely know my mom and yet you're doing all this for her, even though it's been hard on you too."

"I'm doing this for you," Haley corrected him, "and there's no need to feel guilty. Just, talk to me, please? When you're all quiet and brooding you remind me too much of Lucas. I need to know where your mind's at if this is going to work."

He frowned at her comparison but understood her request. In fact, he wished he really could share all his thoughts, but he was pretty sure she had no desire to hear them. She was doing as he'd asked and any growing feelings were his to deal with.

"You two are so cute," Deb surprised them. They'd been so caught up in their discussion they hadn't even noticed her arrival. "I knew you would be the first time I saw you, but I'm still a little surprised he let himself do something about it. He's usually too cautious for his own good." She looked between the two of them, "Not that I don't love seeing you, but should you have been travelling so far after your accident?" She moved to his side and started looking through his hair for the bump, "You can never be too careful after a head injury..."

"It's fine mom," he pulled away in embarrassment, "I've been cleared and Haley drove."

"He let you drive his car?" Deb looked at Haley in shock, "Wow. He's never been very good at sharing, probably part of being an only child and not having very many possessions. He must really like you..."

"Um..." Haley stumbled, not knowing how to react to that statement, "thanks?"

"Mom," Nathan attempted to get control of the conversation, "Can we go upstairs? We have some things we want to talk to you about. Important things."

Deb looked around at the packed house and winced, "I can't right now, I've got to get back to work. We're shorthanded and it's a Friday night. Can't it wait for a couple hours?" She felt bad for putting him off, but they'd had to let two employees go that week to try and cut down costs as low as they could. Without them, they were stretching themselves thin as it was and someone not showing put them in near desperate straits.

"We could help," Haley offered, "I know we can't serve any alcohol, but we could do food or bus tables..."

Deb started to refuse, but there were already three tables that needed taken care of just in the short break she'd taken and she looked at her son. "Nate?"

He looked down at Haley who was nodding her head, "What do you need?" he sighed.

* * *

Nathan returned from taking his shower to find Haley curled up on the couch looking through the photo albums from when he was a child, her smile making him wonder which of the photos she was seeing, "I guess I should be glad my mom isn't here yet to go through them with you. I'm sure she'd have a corresponding story equally embarrassing for each one."

Haley looked up with an impish grin, her blonde hair pulled on top of her head haphazardly and the sweatshirt she'd borrowed looking like it was going to swallow her whole, "I think they're wonderful. My mom has something similar and mine are much worse."

Nathan doubted that was true, but let it go. "Sorry about downstairs," he gestured with his head, "I didn't plan on you having to work while we were here."

"It's not a big deal," she shrugged it off, "I even made some good tips," she waved a wad of bills in his face.

Nathan was amazed at how easily she seemed to go with the flow. Most girls he'd known would've been horrified by the situation, "You still cold?"

"Just a little," she admitted, pulling her knees up inside the shirt, "it feels a bit like winter in here."

"Sometimes when the air conditioner is working hard downstairs, it gets chilly up here. I don't get cold easy so I forget sometimes that it bothers other people," he sat down next to her and pulled her against him, rubbing her arm with his hand, "this should help."

"Mmmhmm," Haley murmured, enjoying the warmth and scent of his fresh from the shower skin, "you're always so warm."

"Most girls say hot, but I'll let it slide this time," he teased, drawing a slight smack on the chest.

"You know what I mean," she rolled her eyes, "my comment had nothing to do with your looks, although, hot would be a fair assessment."

She pulled back when he didn't respond, "are you blushing?" she laughed, "you said girls tell you that."

"Not usually to my face, and especially not curled up against me," he pointed out, "it's a little different. Besides, I never really cared what any of them thought."

"And I'm different? Why?"

"You just are," he shrugged, not sure how to explain without giving himself away, "I value your opinion, besides, I can't have my wife think I'm hideous."

Haley rolled her eyes, "Yeah right."

"Here," he offered her a smirk as he shifted to lean back so she could lay against his chest, "you look exhausted. Why don't you rest for a little while until she gets up here?"

Haley thought about protesting, but a big yawn came out and made her decision for her. She sighed, "I'll just rest my eyes for a few minutes."

Nathan settled in and quickly felt her breathing deepen as she fell asleep. He chuckled as she made a soft snoring sound and she wiggled closer to him, throwing one leg over his. He adjusted himself to find a more comfortable spot given her new position and then closed his eyes, deciding he'd rest for a few minutes too. His mom would be up soon, but it had been a long day, or rather, a long year.

* * *

"You need to get over it," Julian ran his fingers through his girlfriend's dark hair. "I'm sure she would've told you soon."

"It's not just that," she shook off his hand, "it's...never mind."

"It's Lucas, isn't it?" he stood up and turned to stand in front of her. "You're still jealous of their relationship"

"I guess sometimes I still feel like the third wheel. Like, she values him more than me and I know it's lame and probably petty, but it just gets me that he knew and I didn't."

"Lucas said he found out by accident," Julian reminded her, "she didn't tell him either."

"And that makes it better?" Brooke asked, "That means she chose Nathan over both of us."

"I don't know what's going on," Julian admitted, "because that's not really like her, but I do know that she loves you and she values your friendship. Don't throw it away without at least giving her a chance to explain. If she's really getting married, she's going to need all the support she can get."

* * *

The first thing Nathan noticed as he started to wake was that his arm was completely numb, the second was that said arm and the left side of his body were pinned under a warm, still sleeping female. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling for a moment, thinking he could get used to the feeling, before hearing noises coming from the kitchen. Carefully disengaging himself, he pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and lay it across Haley's still sleeping form before going in search of his mother, finding her getting out the makings of breakfast.

"Hey sleepyhead," she came over and kissed him on the cheek, "you hungry?"

He nodded, taking a seat at the table as he had it seemed like a million times, "Sorry about, you know," he gestured to the living room. "We didn't mean to fall asleep like that."

Deb waved him off, "you both looked like you needed the rest and you're a couple now. It's no big deal."

"Speaking of couples, where's Patrick?" Nathan looked around as if expecting to see him materialize any moment, "I expected he'd be here this morning now that you two are engaged."

The spatula Deb was using clattered to the ground as his statement caught her by surprise, "Who told you that?"

Nathan's brow furrowed in confusion, "well, no one I guess, but Patrick called to make sure it was okay with me if he proposed and I just assumed he'd done it by now. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to spoil the surprise."

"It's okay..."

"No, I should've known it hadn't happened yet when I didn't hear from you," Nathan smacked himself ini the forehead, " He's going to kill me for spilling the beans."

"No, I mean..." Deb stumbled, coming over to sit next to her son, "he did propose. You didn't ruin anything. In fact, none of this has been your fault."

"What are you talking about?"

"When Patrick proposed, I turned him down," she closed her eyes for a moment, fortifying herself for the coming conversation. "I probably should've told you from the beginning," she reached out and placed her hand on his, "there are some financial problems and they are pretty serious. I couldn't let him take on any of that..." she continued to lay out the things Nathan already knew and a few details he didn't such as laying off employees and that his mother and Patrick were taking a break.

Nathan leaned back in his chair, knowing that while he'd waffled over his decision before, now he needed to come clean too. He rubbed the back of his neck, "I actually overheard some of this weeks ago."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"You didn't want me to know," he tried to keep the pain out of his voice, knowing that she hadn't meant to hurt him, "and I guess I was upset that you didn't think I could handle it,"

"I'm sorry I kept it from you, but it wasn't because I doubted you," she felt tears coming to her eyes, "You've shouldered more than your share for a while and it was my problem. I didn't want you stressing over things when there was nothing you could do."

Nathan sat up straighter, "How do you know?" he asked her, "You've always said we were a team. That we faced things together and had each other's backs..."

"Of course that's true, but..."

"But nothing," he shook his head, "you didn't even give me a chance to help."

Deb sighed, "Maybe I made a mistake," she admitted, "but that doesn't change the outcome."

Haley entered the kitchen, the raised voices having woke her up. She looked back and forth between the two and moved to stand behind Nathan, putting her hands on his shoulders for support. He reached up and placed his left hand over hers, tracing the ring that his mother obviously hadn't noticed yet and unknowingly bringing her attention to it.

"Is that? That better not be what I think it is," Deb stood up and moved closer to take a look, causing Haley to take a step back and Nathan to get in between them.

He wrapped his arm around Haley's shoulder and faced down his mother, "We're getting married."

"Over my dead body," she shook her head, "What could you possibly be thinking?"

"I'm thinking that if I don't do this, everything will be over your dead body," he shouted, tears welling in his eyes at her look of horror. "I'm thinking that I found a way to fix all of this mess and Haley is willing to help me do it."

"What?" Deb was confused, "explain."

They sat back down and Nathan explained the details of the will and his agreement with Haley, the aborted wedding, and their plans to do it again in just over 2 weeks.

"Absolutely not," she shook her head incredulously, "I'm not letting you do this."

"We're talking about your life," Nathan argued, "this is the only way."

Deb's hands balled into fists as she fought to keep her cool, "I'm grateful...so grateful that you would do all this for me, but there's no guarantee any of it would work. It's my job as your mother to protect you, not the other way around. I can't let you do this, not for me."

"You aren't letting me do anything, it's my decision," Nathan stood, pushing his chair back in his haste and knocking it over, "I'm not just going to pretend everything is fine. Don't ask me to let you die when there's still a chance, I just can't." He left the room and moments later, both women heard the door to the apartment slam shut.

Deb collapsed in her chair as if she'd just run a marathon, tears starting to stream down her face as she leaned forward and cried into her arms. Haley, apparently all but forgotten, watched awkwardly from across the table before moving over and placing her hand on the older woman's back. "He'll be back, he just needs to cool down."

Deb jumped at the contact for a moment before looking up and wiping her eyes, "I'm not sure I shouldn't kick you out of here."

Haley wasn't sure if she was serious or not, but she'd come this far and she wasn't going to quit now, "I think what you should do is listen to me for a few minutes."

Deb raised her eyebrows, but gestured for her to continue, "I know as his mother you just want to protect him and I understand that..."

"You have no idea what it's like until you have your own kids," Deb argued, "you can't possibly understand."

"Maybe not," Haley conceded, "but I have a lot of older brothers and sisters and I've watched my parents worry over us, rejoice with us, and cry with us, so I think I have at least some idea." She took a deep breath. "He loves you...so much."

"And I love him," Deb shook her head, "which is why I can't agree to this scheme. You seem like a sweet girl and I'm glad you've been there for him, but a fake marriage...lying to everyone for a year? It's a terrible idea and both of you are bound to end up hurt. What kind of mother is selfish enough to let her son sacrifice so much for her, for something that might not even change her prognosis?"

"You're so much alike," Haley smiled softly, "last night, Nathan was worried that he was being selfish by trying to keep you here when you'd already decided it was time to go. He was concerned that you were too tired to fight anymore."

Deb leaned back in her chair, "I'm planning on fighting until my last breath," she half whispered, "I just can't mortgage everyone else's futures, put their lives on hold in order to do it anymore."

"I get that," Haley could see the older woman was in pain at the idea, "but he wants...needs to do this. We've talked about it a lot, and he won't ever forgive himself if he doesn't try everything he can to help. If he loses you anyway, I think he can come to terms with it, but if you don't even let him try?" she shook her head, "It'll eat away at him forever."

Deb closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples, "I thought I'd resigned myself to there being no hope left and now...now, I'm torn between wanting to protect my only child, and the chance that I might be able to live to see him have children of his own someday." She opened her eyes again, "How do you feel about my son?"

"We've become very close friends and I care about him a great deal..." Haley started.

"No," Deb shook her head, "I heard what you said about that a few minutes ago, but I want the truth now. "

Haley's eyes looked away for a moment, but she brought them back and lifted her chin, "It doesn't matter. We're friends and we have a deal. I promise you, I won't let him down."

"He cares about you," Deb said, "I could tell the first time he brought you here, but he might not ever love you the way I think you love him. I know my son and he's as stubborn as they come. He most likely won't ever change his mind about his plans. He feels like he made a promise to Mr. Fields and I really doubt he'll break it, even for you. Can you live with that?"

Haley felt like she'd been punched in the gut, despite already knowing what she was hearing was true, "I know his plans, his dreams, and I'm proud of him. It doesn't change how I feel ."

"I hope Nathan realizes how lucky he is to have you," Deb told her. "If he's half the man I tried to raise him to be, he'll figure it out. I really hope he does, because you deserve to be happy, both of you."

"You should be proud of him either way," Haley couldn't help but point out. "He's strong and kind, generous and loyal. He's already changed my life."

"And you think it's a good idea? You're sure about this?" Deb was amazed by the strength of the girl standing in front of her. It took a lot of courage to take the chance she was about to, knowing she could very easily end up getting burned.

Haley nodded, "I think it's what we have to do, all of us."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Deb stood up and walked over to the desk and came back with a magazine, "but I guess you probably could use a little help planning the wedding."

Haley looked at the magazine and then back at her in question. She shrugged, the first hint of a smile crossing her face, "I told him I couldn't marry him, not that I didn't want to. Maybe I'll end up getting to use some of my ideas after all."


	34. Chapter 34

Sorry for the delay again. I've had some health issues, but hopefully they are being managed and will let up soon if there are no more complications and I can get back to normal.

Ch 34

"I hate shopping," Nathan groaned, checking the addresses of the houses they were passing, "and garage sales give me hives. My mom always used to drag me around on the weekends, bickering over prices and trying to find the best deals."

"Come on, it won't be so bad," Haley promised as they parked the car along the side of the road, "I'm sure we can find what we need for the apartment without any rashes breaking out."

"I guess I probably shouldn't doubt you after the miracle you worked with my mom," he still couldn't believe how different the situation had been when he returned less than an hour after he'd left. "You two were like best friends or something by the time we left. I still wish I knew how you did that."

Haley smiled at the memory of two women who bonded over their love for the man in front of her, "Your mom is an awesome lady," she shrugged off the question, "once I convinced her how important it was to you and that I wanted to help, she calmed down and I really enjoyed getting to know her. I can see why you love her so much."

It was the same thing Haley had said on the way back to Tree Hill, but he couldn't help but think there was more to it she wasn't telling him. After her initial reaction, it was hard to believe the turnaround he'd experienced in spending the rest of the day together had been so simple to orchestrate. Shaking it off for the moment though, he asked something he'd been wondering about. "Did you manage to talk to Brooke yet?"

Haley shook her head no, "she's not answering my calls. I was actually wondering if you'd drop me off there when we're done."

He agreed, "I might swing by the Rvercourt for a while anyway."

"He apologized and from what you've said, he's trying," Haley counseled. "You have to talk to him sometime."

"Which one? The one that hazed me and constantly treated me like crap? Or the one that tries to boss me around and treat me like a child?" Nathan's hands formed fists at his sides and he fought to keep his temper under control, "You know, it's like a sitcom in that house. Dan tries to talk to me, Lucas tries to avoid me, and I try and avoid them both, while Karen flutters around trying to pretend everything is fine," he stopped walking and sighed, looking down at her, "I'm just glad I'll be out of there in a few days."

Haley didn't know what to say to that. She knew Nathan's family had made a lot of mistakes and she didn't blame him for his cynicism, but she was also sure that they cared about him more than he was willing to admit. At the moment, he was running on emotions and couldn't see it. Maybe after the wedding she could talk to him about giving them more of a chance. Until then, she could admit that they had enough to deal with.

* * *

"What about this one?" Haley sat on a couch, rubbing her hand along the fabric. "It's a great price and has a pull out."

"It's purple," Nathan shook his head in disgust. It was the sixth house they'd visited and he was getting grumpier by the minute. "It looks like it belongs in a bordello."

Haley laughed, "It does not, and it's plum."

"It's purple. Why can't we find one that's black or even blue? Every single one you've shown me has been hideously ugly."

"You're just mad that we lost out on that brown monstrosity we saw first, but it didn't even have a bed," Haley argued, "and it had water damage or something. It had definitely seen better days."

"But it was really, really comfortable," Nathan exaggerated sliding his body down the invisible item, "and cheap." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I think those are the most important things."

"Setting up your first place?" an older man asked from behind, startling them, "I couldn't help overhearing your discussion and it reminded me so much of the missus and myself when we picked out things for our first little apartment. Truth is," he winked at them, "I hate that couch too, one of the reasons we aren't taking it with us."

Nathan turned to Haley and stuck his tongue out at her, drawing an exaggerated eye roll before she looked back at the man who obviously lived in the house they were at, "I think I can help you out though. We have another couch for sale and I think it'll be more to your liking. Someone left a deposit on it earlier, but called a few minutes ago and said they couldn't take it after all."

He led them through the tent area into the main garage where a large dark gray sofa sat with a sold sign. "I think you might've said you wanted a pull out and this doesn't have that, but it's big and mighty comfortable to sleep on. In fact, there were times I was glad to get kicked out of the bedroom and away from my wife's snoring."

Nathan and Haley laughed, as was expected, and took in the item he was showing them.

"I loved this couch, but when the wife decided it had to go, I gave in. You'll find that sometimes, compromise works great, and other times, it's just best to let the woman have her way." Nathan nodded before moving closer to the couch. It did look comfortable, "go ahead, have a seat," the man gestured for them to try it out. "I think you'll see why I hate to let it go."

Nathan sat down on the end and sighed, leaning his head back and sinking into the softness, "this is great Hales."

"You too missy," the gentleman gestured to Haley, "you need to start your marriage making decisions together."

"How'd you know we're getting married?" Haley asked, sitting down in the middle of the couch, "I don't think we said."

"It wasn't hard to tell," the man smiled, "young love is always obvious. Besides, I noticed your ring."

Haley nodded, looking down at her ring herself, "How much are you asking? We don't have much of a budget..."

"Why don't you scoot over there and let me see you two together," the man requested, waiting for her to move. "Now, put your arm around her," he continued to direct them, waiting until Haley was pressed against Nathan and his arm rested around her shoulders. "That's a mighty fine looking couple there, don't ya think Janie?"

They looked up and saw a woman entering the garage from the house, "What are you doing?" she asked him, "I thought when that other guy backed out you said you were keeping this thing? You kept going on and on about it being a sign."

He nodded, "I know, but I changed my mind again. I think it's perfect for them, don't you?"

His wife shook her head, but smiled at him, "whatever you want, it's your favorite."

"I want you to have it," he looked at them, looking so perfect curled up against one another, one small and light, the other tall and dark. He remembered being in their situation and looked back at his wife, "for free."

"Oh no, we can't do that," Haley protested, reluctantly leaving her spot, "especially knowing how much it obviously meant to you."

He shook his head, "We had people that helped us out when we first got started and all they asked was that we pass on their generosity," he reached out and clasped his wife's hand, bringing it to his lips, "and we've tried to do that over the years. All we ask, is that you do the same for someone else someday. Besides, like my wife here said, I strongly believe in signs and I'm pretty sure you are one."

"Thank you," Nathan stood up and shook his hand, pulling Haley into his side, "We'll be sure to do that."

"Good, and remember, the key to a strong marriage is remembering what's really important, love, friendship, commitment, and not letting the little things, no matter how big they might seem at the moment, get in the way of any of those."

Haley looked up at Nathan and her heart constricted in her chest. She wished more than anything that they'd have a real chance to take that advice, but the obstacles seemed insurmountable at the moment. "We'll do our best."

* * *

Haley knocked on Brooke's front door, surprised when her mother answered instead. Her friend's parents were rarely home, choosing to jet set around the globe and leave their daughter to her own devices. "Hi, Helen. You're here to see Brooke I presume?"

"Haley," the blonde corrected for at least the fifth time, "Haley James and yes, I'd like to speak with her."

"I think she's out by the pool," she gestured a manicured hand toward the back of the house. "I presume you know the way?"

Haley nodded and the woman left her standing there in the foyer. She shivered, always thinking there was something creepy about the older woman, before heading to the back patio area. Opening the door, she spotted her friend sunbathing at the other end and made her way in that direction.

"Could you move please?" Brooke huffed impatiently, "You're blocking my sun and I'll be pissed if I have an uneven tan because you decided to come home and pretend to be my mom"

Haley didn't say anything or move and Brooke turned to look up, "Oh, it's you. I suppose I should've told my mother you weren't welcome, not that she would've listened, she never does. What do you want?"

Haley decided to just dive right into her reason for being there, " Things were just happening so fast, but I never meant to hurt you and I'm so sorry that I did. I feel awful..."

"You know what's the worst part of this?" Brooke sat up, interrupting he explanation, "I shouldn't even care. I'm the most popular girl in school and I have more friends than you can even dream of. Guys have fought over the chance to carry my books or even do my homework and they barely look at you most of the time. Most of them think you're a tease and a prude..."

Haley frowned at the brunette's speech but stayed quiet, knowing interrupting would only make things worse, "but I do care," Brooke met her friend's eyes, "because most of those people don't know the real me. They know the pretty, popular girl who has the perfect life, not the girl who has cried every year when her parent's forgot her birthday again, or the girl that was devastated when her boyfriend cheated on her with one of her friends. They don't know the girl who used to worry so much about what other people think that she turned into someone she didn't even like. The person that knows that girl, that has always been there for her is you."

"And I'm still that person," Haley promised. "Nothing has changed."

"But it has... I tell you everything, more sometimes than you even want to know, but when something big...huge even, happened in your life, you didn't tell me. You blurted it out to the whole school, but had no problem keeping it secret from me."

"Come on Brookie, I'm sorry," Haley sat down on the chair next to her friend's, "I wanted to tell you and I was going to, but we wanted to tell Nathan's mom first and then Nathan got hurt and I panicked. I swear, it killed me to keep it from you. I was going to come over here as soon as we got back from Virginia to tell you."

"I'm sure that's true," Brooke accepted the apology, "but it just proves that I need you more than you need me and I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"That's so not true," Haley shook her head, moving to sit on the chair next to her, "You have no idea how important you are to me, how much I'm going to need you..."

"That's nice of you to say," Brooke wasn't convinced, "but you have Nathan now. If you two are so hot for each other that you're getting married, you probably won't even leave your bedroom for days and then you'll be the only thing the other sees. I'll be an afterthought"

Haley practically choked on her tongue at that statement, "Um, I don't think...I mean, we won't..." she paused to gather her thoughts. "It's not like that."

"Then why are you marrying him?" Brooke was incredulous, "I totally wouldn't stay with someone who didn't rock my world. I mean, he clearly has the body for it so is he... ya know...? Because I can tell you that his brother is..."

"Ewwwww, TMI," Haley shuddered, holding up her hands to ward off any additional words, "I wouldn't know about that. We haven't...um...I'm still..."

"You mean you haven't...still?" Brooke was surprised, "I know you always said you wanted to wait, but I just assumed...wow. I guess I understand the hurry. I take back what I said, it'll be weeks before you willingly separate."

Haley blushed at the idea and was surprised how much she wished it were true, but she needed to get the conversation back on safer ground, "Anyway, most people aren't exactly thrilled about this wedding, so I'm going to need my best friend to have my back more than ever."

"I can't say I understand it, but it's your decision, not theirs," Brooke was indignant on her friend's behalf, "Don't let anyone push you around. You're the only one that knows what will make you happy."

Haley smiled, so glad to have such a wonderful friend, "so you forgive me? Because I have to admit, I really hoped you'd be my maid of honor?"

Brooke's dimples flashed as she nodded, "I would love to. You'll need someone to help make sure it isn't a fashion nightmare anyway."

"Good," Haley breathed a sigh of relief, "because it's not going to be easy to pull everything together in just over 2 weeks"

"What?" Brooke looked at her friend as though she'd grown 2 heads, "there's no way it can be done that fast. It's not possible"

"Come on," Haley prodded, "I thought you were the queen of shopping? Of getting your way..."

"I am, but this is beyond even my abilities," Brooke shook her head.

"Okay, but I never thought you'd turn down a challenge," Haley baited her. "I'll just have to see if someone else can help me..."

Brooke practically growled, "okay, fine, but I'm picking my dress. There's no way I'm wearing some gown from hell."

* * *

Nathan came off the floor at the end of their first game and headed straight for the locker room, throwing his warm up shirt at his locker as soon as he reached it.

"Come on Nate," Tim said, following him in and sitting down on the bench, "that wasn't so bad. We lost to them by almost 20 last year."

"That wasn't so bad?" Nathan turned around and looked at him. "We should have destroyed that team," Lucas walked past the end line of lockers into their section, drawing his eyes and his ire, "and we would've if you hadn't spent the entire time we've had to train as a team playing keep away."

"Don't blame this on me," Lucas stepped toward the taller Scott, "you're the one that came here and forced your way in. This was my team first."

"If this is how your team plays, maybe I don't want them," Nathan shot back. "I've seen more hustle and cooperation in most pickup games. Tonight was pathetic."

"Then maybe you should go back to where you belong..."

"Nathan...Lucas, both of you in my office," Whitey's voice boomed through the locker room, drawing the looks of all the players standing around, "NOW."

The two boys trudged toward the office, each of them grumbling about the other as they took their seats. Whitey stood in front of them, leaning against his desk, "I won't have this fighting on my team." He looked straight at Nathan, "when you asked me to keep him on the team, I assumed you planned to make it work, not to have a melt down when things didn't go your way."

Lucas laughed and Whitey's glare turned to him, "What do you think is so funny?" his voice boomed in the blonde's direction. "If you hadn't been so insecure, we wouldn't be dealing with all this now because we'd already have an idea of how to play as a team. Maybe if you were more worried about winning than who got more shots, we would anyway."

Lucas had the good sense to look chagrinned and slumped in his chair, "Now, if anything good is going to happen for this team, it's going to have to come from the two of you and that means that no matter how you feel about each other off the court, you need to find a way to work together on it. There will be no more shutting people out or throwing up poor shots because you want to score the most points," he looked at Lucas again, "and I don't want to hear you say anything bad about your teammates, even when it's true," he looked at Nathan. "I'll take care of letting them know what they did wrong."

"Sorry coach," Nathan felt the need to apologize, but the older man waved it off, not wanting to hear it at the moment when he had more to say himself, "Now, I am making you co-captains and you two are going to figure out how to make this work, or you and the rest of the team will run until you don't have the energy to fight anymore," Whitey told them.

"But I'm supposed to be captain," Lucas protested, "the guys picked me and I deserve it, it's my team."

Whitey shook his head, "it's MY team and I am done letting the players have too much control. From now on, we're going to start doing things my way."

Lucas grumbled, but didn't argue aloud, "Is that all?"

"You can go," Whitey shooed him off, but stopped Nathan when he stood to follow. "Wait up Nathan," he stopped him. "I want to talk to you about something."

Nathan sat back down, ready to listen as Coach went around behind his desk and grabbed some papers, bringing them back and handing them to him. "I want you to look at this new offense I've come up with," he pointed to some things on the top page, "We have to figure out how to win when our three best players are all shooting guards and I think I figured it out."

Nathan's eyebrows raised when he looked at the first couple of plays, "So you're moving me to point after all?"

"Sort of," Whitey hedged, "I know you weren't really looking forward to moving positions, but it's actually a good move for you and one I think you'd be great at. Unfortunately, it doesn't help our defense if we do that, so I really want you to play point forward. I want you to handle the ball and initiate the offense, but I also want you to play forward and kind of be a free-safety on defense. "

"So you want me to play like LeBron James?" Nathan's eyebrows rose, "That's a tall order."

"Well, you aren't 6ft 9, so not exactly like him, but that's the basic idea position wise, yeah," Whitey chuckled, "we're going to have to take advantage of everything you give us if we want to turn this around."

Nathan nodded and released a sigh of acceptance, willing to try if it gave them a better chance to win, "I guess it's worth a shot."

"I know it might not seem like it, but tonight was a good game for the team. They saw that they can trust you and while I told you to keep your comments to yourself, this once it might have been good for them to hear the truth about their play from one of their teammates," Whitey shook his head. "Now, if you and that brother of yours can find a way to coexist, we might just be able to make something of the season."

* * *

"It's not too late to change your mind," Dan waited for Nathan to set down his end of the dresser before he did his own. "You can stay with us as long as you need. We enjoy having you."

Nathan scoffed at the comment, "you might want me there, but no one in that house is enjoying anything right now. This is something I want...and need to do."

Dan sighed, but relented, "I couldn't help but give it a shot at least. You know I don't understand."

"I do," Nathan nodded, "but I'm grateful that you're helping anyway. I know you didn't have to."

"You're my son," Dan said it as if that explained everything, "I will always be there if you need me. In fact, I was wondering what you were planning on doing for money. I know you said you had some saved up, but I find it hard to believe that will last long."

Nathan had been wondering the same thing himself. Haley was planning to contribute money from her job at the cafe, but she didn't have much and they wouldn't have his inheritance money for a while yet, "I've looked at a few things, but it's not easy working it around basketball," he admitted. "I'll keep looking."

Dan leaned back against the wall for a minute, debating the wisdom of what he was about to say, "I was wondering if you want to come work at the dealership."

"I don't know," Nathan was hesitant, "doesn't Lucas work there sometimes?"

Dan shook his head, "not in the sales area. He likes to work out on the service area with his uncle for some reason," he shuddered at the idea of the dirty work, " he has no interest in anything to do with the business side."

Nathan narrowed his eyes, wondering what Dan would gain from his offer. Whatever it was, he didn't want to be part of it, "I don't think it's a good idea..."

"I know I've made some mistakes, but don't let that blind you to a good offer. We can work around your schedule and it will give us a chance to get to know each other better without the pressure of other family members or living in the same house," he shrugged, "you won't find anything better."

Nathan knew that was probably true, but couldn't get past the feeling he'd regret saying yes, "I'll have to talk about it with Haley," he finally hedged.

"So she's going to wear the pants?" Dan was annoyed at the seeming dismissal. He'd fought his every inclination to come there to help and make the offer when what he wanted to do was find a way to force his son to do what he wanted. He saw Nathan's face harden and immediately regretted his outburst, quickly backtracking, "I'm sorry. I'm just having a hard time accepting that you're going to be married so soon. I thought we'd have years of getting to know one another before that happened."

Nathan relaxed his shoulders at the apology, knowing the man before him didn't give them out often and that he was trying, "I'll let it go this time, but Haley will be my wife very soon and you'll have to accept it. She's done nothing but be there for me and I won't allow you to say anything bad about her."

The door opened and Haley stumbled into the room with a big box in her arms. Nathan hurried over to take it from her and she breathed a sigh of relief, "There are way more stairs than I remember," she laughed, wiping her hand across her damp forehead.

"You should've left the heavy ones for me," he shook his head at her. "There's no point in you risking hurting yourself."

"That was one of the lightest ones Mr. Muscles," she put her hands on her hips, "and I was tired of waiting for you to come back down. Don't you have any boxes of like, tissues or pillows? It felt like they were all full of books."

Nathan laughed and shook his head at her, "I'll go get the next set. You can start unpacking."

"My puny arms thank you," she grinned at him, "now chop chop, we only have the truck for another hour before my dad needs it back."

Dan snorted at her comment as Nathan left and she looked across at him, "Mr. Scott," she inclined her head. "Thank you for your help. My father got called into work at the last minute or he would've been here."

"It's no problem," Dan tried to act casual, but he was studying her every move, "I'm always going to look out for my son. Even if he thinks he doesn't need it."

"I'm not going to hurt him," Haley stopped opening the box in front of her, "I love Nathan with all my heart and whether you believe me or not, I want what's best for him."

"You think this is it?" Dan asked, gesturing with his arms to the mostly empty apartment, "Moving away from the opportunity of a lifetime? Making due with garage sale finds when he could be living with me? Working during the season and taking away valuable practice time? You can't possibly think this is best for his future."

"I don't think you give him nearly enough credit," Haley stood her ground. "He's not a child. He deserves to make his own choices and I know that he's smart enough to know what he wants and where his priorities lie." She sighed, not sure how to get her point across. "This wasn't a decision we made lightly Mr. Scott. I promise you, we know the challenges we're facing, but it's what we feel we need to do. If you really love him, you'll accept that."

"You sound like my wife," Dan sighed, "stepping back isn't something I'm good at I'm afraid."

"You don't have to step back, we want you to be a part of things," Haley shrugged before going back to opening the box, "just don't try to stand in our way."

Nathan returned a moment later and set two boxes on the counter, "one more trip and we'll be done with the truck."

"I'm going to take off," Dan grabbed his dress shirt off the back of the couch and slipped it back on over his t-shirt, "I still have to stop by the cafe on the way home and help my wife lock up. I don't like her doing it by herself." He opened the door and started to step through it before he turned back to Nathan, "I guess if this was going to happen, I can honestly say you picked well." He nodded to Haley, "I'll try to keep your suggestions in mind."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want me to do it Shorty?" Nathan 's brow furrowed as he watched Haley standing on a chair to reach the top of the closet. "That doesn't look safe, especially with your track record."

She turned around and stuck her tongue out at him before going back to her search, grunting as she pushed and pulled at items shoved in the tight space, "I know what I'm looking for and you don't. There's just so much stuff up here that I'm having trouble finding it."

"What about the dresses hanging in there?" Nathan asked, seeing at least a dozen fancy dresses at his eye level. "Wouldn't they be easier?"

"Those are Taylors," Haley's tone conveyed how she felt about that, "No way could I wear any of them, even if I wanted to."

"I can't believe she's even related to you," Nathan was still remembering the family dinner they'd had earlier, "she's a little scary."

"I didn't even know you were capable of blushing like that," Haley giggled in remembrance. "Don't worry about her, she's harmless... mostly."

"So if you don't want those, what are you looking for?" Nathan was confused, all he'd heard was something about borrowing a dress.

"A few of Quinn's thigns are in boxes up here," Haley pulled out a bag and threw it on the floor, "she's the same size and has much better taste."

"Isn't she like a foot taller than you?" his eyes scrunched up as he tried to remember the pictures he'd seen.

Haley scowled at him, "yes, but I can make it work. That is if I can find the one I want."

Cursing her lack of height she moved a few more things out of her way, finally seeing the box she was pretty sure was the right one in the back. She stood on her tip toes and reached as far as she could, her fingers brushing the side of the box. She thought about asking Nathan for help but he'd already teased her so she wanted to do it herself. Grabbing a hangar she poked at the box until she could get it to move toward her. When she could finally reach it, she grabbed it and started to pull it out, "Ah hah."

Nathan stood and moved toward her to see what she'd found, but it wasn't coming all the way out. She yanked on it, finally pulling it loose but losing her balance at the same time and causing her to tip the chair over. Screaming as she started to fall, she was surprised to feel warm muscle, instead of hard floor, underneath her when she landed. Neither spoke for a moment as they caught their breath and then realized the position they found themselves in, her on top of him and their bodies pressed together. She looked into his eyes and licked her suddenly dry lips, "I...um..." she fumbled with words as she noticed his hands on her bare sides, the shirt she was wearing having ridden up in her adventure, "thanks."

"Yeah," his eyes narrowed in on the movement of her tongue and he forced himself to close his eyes. _This is Haley...she's your friend...you have to control yourself...you can't do this...you're in her parent's house..._

 _"_ I'm just glad I was here," he forced himself to say.

"Uh huh..."

"Way to go Haley!" they heard from the open doorway, making both of them look that way, "though if I'd known, I would've waited 'til it went a little further before I walked in."

"What do you want?" Haley snapped at her, embarrassment and lust clouding together in her mind.

"Just thought you'd want to know Dad wants you," Taylor snapped her gum, "I didn't think you'd want him to be the one finding you like...this."

She turned and walked away and Haley looked back down at Nathan who started laughing. "I bet life was never boring with her around."

Haley laughed too, disentangling herself and trying to right her clothes. "No, boring is not a word I would ever use in this house, but I think she was really just jealous."

Nathan's eyebrow raised in confusion, "Why?"

"Because she has the hots for you? I'm sure she was half hoping to at least see you with your shirt off," Haley righted the chair and picked up the box she'd risked her neck to retrieve, "didn't you notice all the flirting earlier?"

"Of course I did," he shook his head, "and if I didn't, it was hard to miss her rubbing my leg with her foot."

Haley laughed again and he was confused, "Like I said, mostly harmless. She wouldn't really do anything since you're with me, but she certainly isn't above having some fun and maybe testing you a little."

"Your family is crazy," he shook his head with a smile, "but I like it. It's way better than the Scotts."

"Dan is coming along," Haley pointed out, "and Lucas has at least tried a little."

Nathan nodded, "I guess it's a start."

Haley smiled, "Come on, think positive for once. This is going to be a new beginning for all of us."


	35. Chapter 35

I'm so sorry for the delay with this chapter. I went back to work for the first time in years and between that and my daughter now playing volleyball, the little free time I had has been completely gone. Hopefully once I get my schedule figured out and I'm adjusted to it, it will get easier to squeeze in writing time. As it is, I struggled with this chapter, but I think it finally came out okay. I'm really looking forward to the next two as they will be big ones for both the plot and their relationship. I'm super excited to have finally gotten to them so hopefully I'll be able to get it done sooner rather than later. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

Haley was gathering her books and putting away after her lunch tutoring session, glad she still had a few minutes left to eat a sandwich. With her cheerleading and wedding planning, it was even more important for her to squeeze in as many of her students during the day as possible, but it was exhausting and she'd much rather eat with Nathan and her other friends. They had found a nice routine and even Lucas had been on his best behavior. It was starting to almost feel comfortable again and it was a nice break in the day she sorely missed when she tutored. Thinking about him, she pulled out her phone to see if her fiancée, the word had seriously grown on her, had sent her a message. Frowning when there was nothing, she was startled when Lucas came in asking if she'd seen him.

She shook her head no, "He had a meeting this morning," she went back to cleaning up her area, unsure what else to say. Even though he'd been less antagonistic toward his brother, their friendship wasn't where it used to be and she was tired of being the one to do all the work. "He'll be here soon I'm sure," she added.

He ran his fingers through his blonde hair, "if he doesn't get here by the end of next period, he won't be able to play tonight."

Haley knew that was true, but she also trusted he'd make it in time. He was rarely late for anything and the games meant too much to him for him to just miss it carelessly. He would never let his team down, but she couldn't say she was surprised Lucas would assume the worst about him.

"He won't miss it," she assured him, "although I'm surprised you care. I would've thought you'd be happy he wasn't here."

Lucas looked annoyed at her snarky comment, "The new system Whitey's making us run only works with him on the court."

"Why is it so hard for you to just admit that he's not your enemy?" Haley couldn't understand him and it felt like she was on a rollercoaster trying to follow his moods.

"I'm passing him the ball, I'm following Whitey's stupid new game plan, I'm even being nice to him," he threw his arms wide. "I've accepted that he's part of the team and I'm trying to make the best of it. What more do you want?"

Haley stopped and tucked her hair behind her ears, "You know what? You're right. I should never expect that you might accept him as your brother. That might take away your excuses."

"That's a low blow," Lucas was surprised at her anger, an emotion she rarely showed, "and it's not that easy."

"I don't understand why it's so hard. You were close to doing it before he left. Why does it have to be so different now?"

"It was easier when he was going back home and I didn't have to see him every day," Lucas admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. He sighed, "I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does, having him here. Everything is always about him now and I just...it would be easier I think if he wasn't so damned perfect."

Haley frowned. "Look, you know how I feel about him, but he's not perfect. He has faults like everyone else and more than his share of problems," She looked her friend in the eye and gave him a warning, "He's done an amazing job handling everything that has been thrown at him, but he struggles and worries too, and at some point his patience will run out. Don't lose this chance to get to know him now."

* * *

Nathan sat on the bench and wiped the sweat off his forehead, taking a drink of his Gatorade as he listened to Whitey draw up the last play of the game. They had come in overwhelming underdogs, but had battled and clawed their way to have this last chance to pull out a win.

"Nathan," he pointed to the x on the white board that was his spot, "I want you to try and take this guy off the dribble. Look for your shot or for the open man. These," he pointed to two more X marks, "will be screens set to free up Lucas in case you can't get your opening."

Nathan nodded, understanding what his coach meant. His first coach, Mr. Fields, had called it "making the right basketball play." He'd talked to them over and over about doing whatever it took to give your team the best chance to win. He looked at the clock one more time, despite already knowing what it said. They were down by 1 point with 7 seconds left and the ball.

"We haven't beat this team in four years," Whitey said as they put their hands together. "We have seven seconds to change that. Go out there and play those as if they're your last. This is our time boys. Ravens on three."

The players completed their huddle and headed back out on the floor, Lucas nudging his younger brother on the way, "We've got this."

Nathan's eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded and took a deep breath as he looked around the packed gym. There were so many people there they'd even lined up extra chairs along the baseline for the homecoming game and the fans that had been sitting in them were now standing and cheering as he faced the basket. This was a make it or break it moment that could influence the fate of the rest of their season and it rested on his shoulders.

He looked over and found Haley with the other cheerleaders, her blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail that made her look impossibly young and innocent. Brooke had painted his number on her cheek and he had been surprised at the jolt of pride he'd felt at the sight of her marked as his. A feeling that was becoming more familiar than he'd like.

He shook his head as his thoughts wandered. He couldn't let his thinking go down that road, this moment was too important. He was about to turn away when she winked at him, the simple gesture bringing a smile to his face and helping him relax. As usual, she knew just what he needed.

The buzzer sounded for play to resume and Skillz inbounded the ball to Nathan. He was immediately double teamed and he passed it over to the open man Lucas at the three point line. His second defender headed for help on the ball and Nathan took the opportunity to cut through the lane, desperately trying to get open again as the clock wound down. He finally got free and received the pass, turning and firing up a jump shot just as the buzzer sounded and his defender knocked him to the ground. It bounced on the rim twice before rolling off and falling into the hands of the celebrating visitors.

The entire crowd went from deafening to almost silent as the Wildcats and their small group of fans celebrated the victory. The Tree Hill fans stared at each other in shock as the evening that had been so promising moments earlier ended on a sour note.

The teams shook hands and most of the players left the court, but Nathan sat down on the bench and put his head in his hands. He went over the play in his mind, not seeing anything else he should've done differently other than actually make the shot.

"What the hell was that?" Dan was standing a short distance away talking to Lucas, "You had the ball and the chance to win the game, but instead you passed it up. How are you ever going to get scouts to look at you playing how you did tonight? You think being Homecoming King will matter to them?"

"I had 18 points," Lucas argued, just wanting to get to the locker room, any positive feelings from the halftime presentation long gone, " and I was trying to win. I was double teamed and he was open."

"That wasn't a real double team," Dan shook his head, "I scored on way tougher defense than that."

Nathan found himself walking over to the pair, "Lucas made the right play. If you want to blame someone, blame me. I missed the shot."

"Damn right I blame you," Dan's gaze shifted to his other son. "You can't get a much better look in that situation."

"He got fouled," Lucas came to Nathan's defense. "He should've had free throws."

"Well should've doesn't change anything. All that matters is the final score," Dan shook his head at both of them, "and this is an L. No one remembers the games you almost won."

Nathan shook his head, "You're right, I still should've made the shot."

"If they'd called it..."

Nathan shook his head, "No, you can't count on getting that call. It's on me, I blew it."

"The guys that really go places are clutch players Nathan. Nobody is going to want someone who folds under pressure..." Dan continued his critique, closing his mouth when he saw Karen heading toward them.

"What a great tip," Nathan rolled his eyes as the sarcasm flowed from his lips, "I'll be sure to remember that."

Dan's eyes narrowed but he kept his mouth shut and allowed himself to be pulled away by his annoyed wife.

"Sorry about that," Lucas nodded in his father's direction, "he gets pretty intense when it comes to basketball."

"You don't need to apologize for him, I don't let him get to me," Nathan waved him off. "Besides, he e was right, this one is on me."

"This is the fourth year I've played against them and the first year we didn't get destroyed. That's on you too," Lucas threw out. "You played a great game."Lucas wasn't sure what else to say so he patted his brother on the back and then headed to the locker room.

Whitey came over and put his arm around him just before he walked in the door. "Don't beat yourself up over it, Dan's an ass. You played a hell of a game."

Nathan's shoulders slumped, "I didn't do enough."

Whitey chuckled, "and that's why you're so good. Most guys would just be happy with 30 points and say they did their part. You always want to do more."

"I want to win," Nathan countered. "The points that matter are the ones on the scoreboard."

"We'll get there," the coach told him. "You can't do it by yourself, it's a team sport, but those guys out there with you got a taste of it tonight, of being competitive with a really good team. They'll be hungry for more and next time we play this team, they'll be ready to give you the help you need."

Nathan hoped his coach was right, but it didn't provide much consolation as he pulled the uniform over his head, watching as his teammates finished changing and trudged out of the room. They had come through and played their hearts out that evening and he'd had the chance to put them over the top and failed. When he was finally alone, he slammed his hand against the locker in frustration. Basketball was the thing he'd had the most control over in his life and even it was unreliable at the moment. Hell, he couldn't even rely on his own feelings and judgments lately as his emotions were all over the place.

He left the locker room and saw Haley down the hall talking to Lucas and Peyton. He considered heading toward them but saw Haley's broad smile as she laughed at something that was said and decided she didn't need to bear the brunt of his bad mood. Besides, he figured it would be easier to clear his mind without her around muddling it. It seemed like lately when she was around she was all he could think of and that wasn't good for his game or his future. Instead, he headed for the now empty gym and picked up a ball. Dropping his bag with a thud on the hardwood floor, he moved to the side of the key and shot a turnaround jumpshot, easily swishing the ball through the net. He retrieved the ball and repeated his actions, making the shot five times in a row before slamming the ball to the ground in frustration.

"It's a lot easier when someone isn't knocking you down," Haley surprised him as she moved toward him. He hadn't even known anyone was watching as intent as he was on his practice. "It should've been a foul"

Nathan sighed, "maybe," he relented, "but it's a shot I've made thousands of times and one I should've made tonight. This loss is on me."

"You're nuts," Haley put her hands on her hips, "You were the only reason there was even a chance to win, everyone here tonight would tell you that. Don't try and act like some martyr, there's still like 20 more games, just get it right next time."

Nathan smiled at her way of looking at things, "I wish it were so easy for me to just think that way."

"It's one game Nathan," she came up and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his chest. "You learn from it and move on."

Nathan nodded and rested his chin on her head. It was amazing to him how naturally positions like this felt with her, like their bodies had been made to fit each other's perfectly. When he'd come up with the idea of marrying Haley to save his mother, he'd thought the hardest part of it would be pretending to be in love. Even though he liked Haley and found her attractive, he had expected that knowing they weren't a real couple would make the public displays of affection needed to make their relationship look real would be awkward at best, but they'd quickly found that things like holding hands and even pressing up against each other as they were at the moment felt natural, maybe too easy since they often found themselves in situations like this when no one else was around. Their playacting was feeling more and more real as the days went by and Nathan completely understood why no one had questioned their relationship. There were too many moments like this one where even he wasn't sure what was real and what was part of their charade.

That thought made him pull away, despite his own body protesting the move, "I better get going."

Haley tried to read his expression, confused by his sudden distance, "Sure. Um, good luck with Dan tomorrow. Don't let him push you around, he respects people who stand up for themselves."

Nathan nodded, "If it's too bad, I can always leave. I won't let him have the power over me he does Lucas."

Haley understood exactly what he meant, "I've never really understood him. He can be such a good dad one moment, but as soon as basketball gets involved, he's like Godzilla, destroying anything in his path."

Nathan laughed, "That's great mental picture. I'll make sure he doesn't squish me. You still want me to meet at your place tomorrow at 6?"

"The limo is going to pick us up around 6, but it would be better if you came a little early. My mom will want pictures," Haley sighed. "She's already getting her getting her camera ready."

Nathan wasn't looking forward to the evening, especially since they were going to be riding with her friends, but he knew attending was a necessary evil if they wanted to keep their pretense going strong, "I'll be there."

"And you have a suit?"

"Dan bought me a tux," Nathan shook his head, "I argued, but he said I should have one. At least it means I don't have to worry about getting one for the wedding."

Haley rolled her eyes but agreed, "one less thing to worry about is always welcome." She took two steps forward and stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow then. Don't beat yourself up," she pointed to the number on her cheek, "I was damn proud to be linked with you tonight."

* * *

Nathan put his fingers under the collar of his dress shirt, trying to rid himself of the feeling he was being strangled. There were eight of them in the limo and while it was supposed to seat more than that, he still felt like they were crammed together. Tonight would be the biggest test he and Haley had faced yet, an evening made for couples where they would be on display for hours while others whispered behind their backs and dissected their every move. He looked over at the blonde sitting next to him and despite his discomfort, he couldn't help but smile. When she'd come down the stairs, it had felt like his heart stopped beating. The dress she was wearing looked like it had been custom made to fit her every curve, the stretchy material clinging enticingly before dropping toward the floor in a glittery waterfall. With her hair piled on her head and her eyes smoky, she looked like every man's fantasy come to life and it had taken him several moments before he was able to speak. Now sitting next to her, he fought to keep his eyes straight ahead, his height making it too easy to see more of her enticing breasts than she probably realized. He sighed again, another reason why this was going to be a long night.

Everyone else in the car was talking about their plans for after the dance, Brooke reminding them they were invited to her house for a pool party, but he was quiet, his nerves making him want to fidget. He had a general idea of what to expect, despite having never been to a school dance before, so he didn't think it was that, but there was a general sense of anxiety over the coming hours, a feeling that made him uneasy that something unexpected was going to happen.

"So, you two are really getting married?" Tim's date for the evening, Brittany, a girl Haley had tutored a few times asked. She was sitting next to Nathan and the only other person not involved in the conversation on the other end of the vehicle. "I can't imagine being tied down that way, I mean...we're so young and I'm sure you've had lots of girls..."

Nathan cursed under his breath. "Not that it's any of your business, but I've never really been a guy to play the field."

"I have a friend that went to your old school and she heard you were hot and heavy with some older girl," the girl continued, feigning an innocence Nathan didn't believe. "Apparently, it was some forbidden romance."

Not many people had even heard rumors of that particular relationship, her parents had paid a lot of money to ensure of that, a fact that Nathan burned Nathan at the time but something he'd felt grateful for later when his status at the school wasn't changed. "There were a lot of rumors that flew around that school. Most of them weren't true."

He could feel the tension radiating from Haley at the subject matter and reached over and entwined his hand with hers, giving her a squeeze that he hoped would help her relax again. "I would be careful about trusting people who gossip behind people's backs."

* * *

Nathan sat at the table with Haley and her friends, bored out of his mind and waiting for the night to be over. If all they were going to do was sit there and talk, why bother getting dressed up and going to a dance in the first place. Deciding he couldn't handle another Bevin laugh or another snide look from Tim's date, he grabbed Haley's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Dance with me?"

"I thought you didn't like to dance," she smiled, one of her dazzling smiles that seemed to light up a whole room, "or I would've suggested it sooner ."

Nathan shrugged, pulling her into his arms, "it's got to be better than sitting there for another minute. I felt like I was losing brain cells just listening."

Haley laughed, her hands lacing around the back of his neck, "sorry about that. I really appreciate you coming tonight."

Nathan shook his head, "It's the least I could do with all you're doing for me."

Haley dipped her head, not wanting him to see the disappointment she knew was in her eyes. It got harder every day to admit, even to herself, that what she was feeling for him wasn't reciprocated and if felt like a stab to her heart each time he reminded her. She leaned her head against his hard chest and closed her eyes as she enjoyed the sway of their bodies to the music, the dance floor too crowded to do much else. His hands settled on her lower back, his fingers absentmindedly rubbing small circles that had her whole body on edge every time they skimmed lower before moving back up. He was driving her crazy and she was glad he couldn't hear her heart because she could feel it racing.

After the second song, she looked up at him, her eyes scanning his face as she tried to read the emotions she saw there, her gaze falling to his lips as he licked them and then leaned toward her. She moved closer, her eyes closing as she expected a kiss and then squeezing in embarrassment when she realized he was trying to speak to her, the noise in the room making it too hard to hear otherwise. "Did you want a drink?" he'd asked her.

She shook her head no but lead him off the dance floor anyway, leaving him for the restroom. She needed some time alone to berate herself for her stupidity. They hadn't kissed again since her initial aggressive move at the courthouse and she had no idea why she thought it would happen again in the middle of the dance floor when there weren't enough people watching them to make it worthwhile to their plan. In fact, they might not ever kiss again if he had his way, a fact that was almost depressing enough to bring her to her knees. She wiped away a few tears and sat on the couch in the sitting room, trying to gather her composure.

The door opened and three girls came in, walking past the entrance to the sitting room and stopping in front of the large mirror. "I heard, he only came here because he lost his spot on the team, after watching him blow it last night I can believe that," one of the girls said as she adjusted her hair, "He probably hooked up with the brain so she can help him graduate or something. Guys who look like that can have anyone they want."

"I heard, he got kicked out for sleeping with a teacher," her friend countered. "Haley must be blackmailing him or something because I doubt she's giving him any. She's a total prude."

"I don't know, I heard she was pregnant," the third girl insisted, "but I'm not sure why he would sleep with her to begin with. At least she doesn't look like a total spaz tonight."

"I'm sure, she looks fine in the dark," the girls laughed, finishing the touch ups to the make-up, "but I'll be the first to admit that when he tires of her, I'd gladly jump at the chance to be his rebound. He's so hot and have you seen his feet..."

Haley's eyes teared up again at their words, her head telling her they were right. He'd never even hinted that he felt anything for her but friendship and she reminded herself that he was only in it to save his mom.

"I was looking for you," Brooke came and sat down beside her and then noticing her tears, "hey, what's going on? You looked so happy a few minutes ago."

Haley relayed what she'd overheard, purposely pretending she didn't know the names of the speakers since she knew Brooke would go on a rampage, "It's okay. I just don't want Nathan to get hurt by any of this. He's already been through so much..."

"Don't worry about him, he's a big boy," her friend waved it off, reaching for her hands, "are you okay? You know none of that's true right? You're amazing and beautiful and we can all see how much he loves you."

The statement only made Haley start crying again and Brooke didn't know what to do, Haley was normally the strong one, "Do you want me to go get him? or Lucas?"

"NO," Haley was adamant and took a moment to calm down and wipe away her tears, "I'm just super emotional. You know, the wedding's coming up and nerves are getting to me. I'll be fine."

Brooke narrowed her eyes, not quite believing her, "are you sure? This isn't really like you."

Haley waved her off, "I've never been in love before either," she forced herself to smile. "I want everything to be perfect."

Brooke figured that made sense and relaxed, "I really wouldn't worry about anything they said. Jealousy is an ugly thing."

Haley knew that was true, but she also knew the reality wasn't much better than any of their suggestions, rumors though they were. She couldn't help but wonder at the mention of Nathan's sex life for the second time that evening and wondered if it was Brittany who was the source of that one. She'd seemed nice enough when they tutored, but her behavior in the car had been rude and borderline creepy. Nathan hadn't actually denied it was true though and that was almost worse. She knew he had a past, that he'd been with other girls, but being reminded of it just served as another reminder of how far away they were from where she wanted them to be. She shook her off her melancholy. This is exactly what she promised herself she wouldn't do, pout about what might or might not happen in the next year. She was going to walk out there, head held high and enjoy the rest of the night in his arms. Maybe it wouldn't last and maybe her heart would end up broken in the process, but she wasn't going to soak up every minute she could get.

* * *

Nathan was happy the dance was finally over as they sat in the limo on the way to Brooke's. The first part had been boring and then the second part had been more temptation than any man should have to endure. He had danced with Haley for a few minutes, long enough to feel every inch of her pressed against him and to memorize the distinct scent she favored. He'd even caved and offered to get her a drink when he needed a break to try and control himself. She'd taken the chance to go to the restroom and he'd though when she returned she'd want to go back to her friends. Instead, she'd pulled him back out onto the dance floor and convinced him to help her put on a show. He wasn't normally one to draw attention to himself anywhere but the basketball court, but her pout had done him in and the way she moved, how amazingly gorgeous she looked with her face flushed and her entire face lit up with a smile, had him practically falling at her feet to do her bidding. Besides, as he'd looked around, he wasn't the only one who had noticed how sexy she was and there were any number of young men who would've jumped at the chance to take his place. He wasn't about to let that happen, after all it was his job to protect her, or at least that's the excuse he gave himself to explain why instead of quitting after the first dance as they'd agreed, he'd stayed with her the rest of the evening, their bodies pressed close and moving together. It was by far the most erotic moment of his life and they'd been fully clothed.

He felt his body reacting to the memory and tried to think about something else. _He needed to do laundry and dishes before the weekend was out. The disposal wasn't working right and he needed to call the super...Didn't they have a math test on Monday? He'd have to ask Haley..._ and he was right back to where he started. Good thing it was a pool party because he had a feeling cold water was the only thing that was going to be of any help. _Damn it, why couldn't he control himself. She was his best friend, he shouldn't be lusting after her like a dog in heat. Didn't he have any self control?_

He felt her shiver against his arm and reached around to pull her against his side. The day had started warm, but the night had cooled the temperature dramatically and her dress did little to insulate her from that drop. She sighed and snuggled in closer and he rested his cheek on her head. Just a little while earlier he'd thought she was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen and now, she looked sweet and innocent, someone to cherish and protect. _He was in so much trouble_.

* * *

Haley sat on top of Nathan's shoulders, shivering again in the cold air. If they weren't so competitive, they might have taken Brooke's lead and lost on purpose so they could relax in the heated water of the Jacuzzi. Instead, they were preparing to take on Peyton and Lucas in the finals of the chicken tournament. Brooke said go and the girls started to push and grab, their dates fighting to keep their balance underneath them. Despite Peyton's superior reach, it wasn't long before Haley was able to wrestle her off her perch and into the water. She squealed in happiness, raising her arms to the sky in celebration of their victory before Nathan fell back into the water, both of them going under and then surfacing quickly. She jumped into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck in excitement. She turned her head and found their faces almost touching. His blue eyes searched hers for a moment and she took advantage of his hesitation, leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her closer, eliciting a moan from her and a cheer from the deck that drew them back to reality. He pulled away from her and tried to bring his breathing back to normal. He coughed to clear his throat and give him more time to calm down, "Where'd you learn to fight like that?" he tried to act as though it was something they did all the time, not something that had rocked him so thoroughly, "you were vicious."

Haley shrugged, deciding to play along. She didn't want to analyze the kiss, just enjoy it, "I have lots of brothers and sisters. We don't always get along."

He laughed, relieved that she understood. Looking over at Lucas who had actually been on his best behavior all evening he added, "I get that."

"But I still love them."

Nathan rolled his eyes at her blatant attempt, "nice try, but it'll take a lot longer than a couple days to fix things."

"I know," she scrunched up her nose at him. "I just really want both of you to be happy."

"You make me happy," Nathan said, instantly regretting his words. He didn't know where her feelings stood, if she kissed him out of joy or part of their charade, or if it meant she wanted him the way he found himself wanting her, but he did know he shouldn't lead her on until he decided he was willing to put aside his plans to try with her. "I mean, I always enjoy spending time with you."

"Nice job Scott and Scott to be," Brooke yelled from the sidelines. "Impressive."

"Thanks, I think," Nathan shook his head, still not used to the brunette. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"We beat all of you," Haley stuck her tongue out at the others. "Now who you gonna call little?"

"I meant the kiss. That was super hot!" Brooke rolled her eyes at her friend, "but I guess you did well in the game too."

"Oh," Haley was embarrassed, but too happy to let it bother her much, "what can I say? We make a great team."

She went off with the other girls and Nathan watched them walk away, his heart still beating fast. He was quickly becoming pathetic.

"Hey Nate," he turned around and Lucas was coming toward him and pulling him off to the side a bit. "I know what she said about the plan and that she was comfortable with it all, but she's the most loyal, loving person I know and that means she's also vulnerable. She really cares about you, please, I'm begging you, don't hurt her."

"I care about her too and I would never do anything she didn't want, or push her in anyway," Nathan narrowed his eyes, feeling like he was being accused of something.

Lucas knew Haley would kill him if he told her secret, but felt he had to say something, "I'm more worried about what you don't do. Sometimes that hurts even worse."


	36. Chapter 36

36

The stage was decorated and the lights were lit, the music was set to be blasted through the speakers, and those attending in hopes of snagging a Varsity Basketball player for the evening were starting to fill in. It looked like there was going to be a great turnout for the charity auction and Karen was delighted. She finished the last touches on setting up the tables in the lobby where people would come to pay for their purchase and then breathed a sigh of relief. It hadn't been easy to change the details for the auction at the last minute, but she thought she'd done an admirable job, advertising the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as the official charity and adding the additional bone marrow drive alongside the evening's entertainment.

It had been Dan's idea to use the already being planned fundraiser for this purpose, half the money for the charity and half toward Deb's medical expenses, but the bone marrow had been her addition. She couldn't imagine what the woman that, but for a twist of fate, could've been her was going through, fighting for her life with a son to worry about. She felt for her and even more for the boy she'd raised that obviously loved her so much. If there was anything she could do to help, she was determined to do it.

Nathan had been shocked when they revealed their plan, but grateful. While he still wasn't looking forward to parading around and "selling himself", he had gone from wanting out of it to determined to raise as much as possible.

Haley had helped Karen with a few of the final touches and was now standing with Brooke and waiting for the show to start. She wasn't sure how to feel about Nathan being sold off for the evening. She wanted a lot of money raised for his mother, but she sort of hoped no one bid on him and she could just buy him cheap herself. It would be much easier than watching all the women lust after him and then allowing one of them to take him with her for the evening...an evening with the promise of ending in a kiss.

She thought back to the previous weekend when she'd kissed him in the pool. It had been hot and wonderful and over way too soon for her liking. He'd smiled and laughed off the cat calls they'd received, acting relatively normal for the rest of the night, but since then, he'd been distant and careful not to be in any situations that could end up with a repeat performance. She had no idea what that meant, she was a novice at relationships. She wished she could talk to Brooke about it, but her friend would never understand her fears without her divulging the real nature of their relationship, so she was on her own. She looked at the clock and saw there was still ten minutes before the auction would start and sighed. If she could, she'd just fast-forward through the night and get right to the wedding.

"You sure you want to buy him?" a couple of girls walked up and stood nearby, looking around the stage area, "He's getting married tomorrow and he seems like he loves her."

The other girl nodded, "He was mine first and yeah, I made a mistake letting him go, but he'll forgive me. If this girl he's marrying is anything like you've told me, there's no way he's happy with her. He was in love with me once, he will be again."

"I don't think it'll be that easy. He was pretty pissed last time he saw you, he might not even talk to you."

"That's why the auction is so perfect, he not only has to spend the evening with me, he has to kiss me when it's over," she smiled at the idea, adjusting her dress, "I'll just have to make sure that's not all that happens."

"And how exactly do you plan to do that?" her companion shook her head.

"No one turns me down. Besides, I know how to get to him, what turns him on. He couldn't get enough of me when we were together and I have to admit, I haven't had anyone as good since," her eyes took on a far off look, "If he's half as yummy as he was in that picture, I won't be home tonight..."

"What about his wedding?"

"All the more reason to sow his oats now," she shook her head at her sister's ignorance. "I'm sure I can convince him one more fling won't hurt anything. After all, it won't be the first time I seduced him."

Haley had heard enough and turned, running to the restroom where she proceeded to throw up, her body continuing to dry heave for several seconds before she collapsed in a teary pile on the floor.

* * *

Nathan paced back and forth in the area behind the curtain where they were waiting for the show to start. Many of the guys had some form of costume on, but Nathan had decided to stick with his uniform, figuring it made the most sense with it being a basketball auction. The fact that it would be easy enough to remove, was a bonus. He paused and looked out from behind the curtain, noting how many women and even young girls were out there waiting for them to make their appearances. He wasn't shy. He worked hard on his body and he'd had female attention for too many years to not know they found him attractive, but making a spectacle of himself wasn't usually his style. He took a deep breath and reminded himself what they were raising money for. Every ounce of humiliation would be worth it if it helped her.

"Hey Nate," one of this teammates came over and nudged him on the shoulder, "you got x-ray vision or something because Haley was sure looking hot the other night. It's making my pants tight just remembering her in that tight dress..."

"Yeah, you snatched her from right under our noses man. I never knew she had such a killer figure... "

Nathan's hands fisted and he prepared to tell them off when Lucas turned around, "Shut up," he glared at the younger teammates who'd been running their mouths, "Haley is not some slut for you guys to talk trash about."

"Dude, we didn't mean no harm," Josh, a sophomore, said, "we were just complimenting Nate on figuring out what a babe was hiding under that damn poncho..."

Nathan took a step toward his teammate and Lucas pulled him back, "don't let it get to you. They have no manners."

"I guess I'm a little on edge too," Nathan admitted, running his hand through his hair, "I hate this kind of stuff. "

"You get used to it after a couple times," Lucas admitted, "and it's not so bad, especially for how much money it usually raises."

Nathan released a deep sigh, "I keep telling myself that," he admitted, "but I'm going to feel like an idiot out there."

"We all do. Just remember, what we think is dumb and cheesy, those women out there eat up. In fact, the more ridiculous, the better."

* * *

"What the hell?" Brooke came in pulled open the unlocked door, finding her distraught friend bent over the toilet. "Don't tell me you really are pregnant?"

Haley turned and shook her head, glaring daggers at her friend, "You better be kidding..."

"I am, sort of," Brooke shrugged before, moving to squat down and brush her friend's hair out of her face, "What happened?"

Haley stood and moved to the sink to clean her mouth out before she explained the conversation she overheard, her stomach churning again at the remembrance of the confidence with which the words were spoken. Even Haley had been convinced.

"You really think he would do that to you?" Brooke frowned at her friend. Haley looked like her world was falling in on her, like she'd already given up. "He really doesn't seem like the type to cheat on you and whatever their past, he chose you to marry. I know you don't view it this way, but sex, even lots of it, doesn't mean he loved her. A lot of boys will sleep with anyone that says yes."

Haley's eyes flew to her friend's, "that doesn't make me feel better," she squeaked out.

"I didn't mean tonight," Brooke rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. "I don't know Nathan that well, but he must really love you to want to marry you this bad. I can't imagine him throwing something like that away over some old girlfriend, especially one that already hurt him once."

Haley understood what Brooke was saying, but she knew things her friend didn't and one of those things was his real reason for this marriage. If he really had loved the girl, he might think it was a better idea to marry her. He wouldn't even need Haley anymore and she would lose her chance to show him how happy they could be together, how much she loved him.

"You need to have confidence in yourself," Brooke continued, unaware of Haley's trail of thought, "You're quite the catch. He'd be stupid to even consider anyone else."

* * *

Nathan heard his name being called and parted the curtain for a second, noticing the crowd had now filled in so there weren't any empty spots around the stage. He searched for familiar faces, but couldn't spot anyone out there he knew. Taking a step back, he turned and considered a strategic retreat. This was a bad idea. He wasn't sure he could bring himself to go out onto that stage and make a fool of himself.

"It's your turn, Coach just called your name," Tim took a couple steps toward him and gestured back toward the stage.

Nathan listened and heard the sounds of Kool and the Gang - Ladies night playing through the speakers, the song he'd chosen for his part of the spectacle. Tim rubbed his hands together in excitement, "just don't be too hurt if you don't go for much. Girls gotta save their money for 'The Tim'."

Nathan's eyebrows raised at the statement and he fought to contain his laughter, "I'll uh, keep that in mind."

"Now hurry up and get out there, I can't wait to get my turn and see who the lucky lady is going to be this time." He pushed Nathan and he half stumbled out onto the catwalk, momentarily stunned by the screams that started the moment he became visible.

He looked around and couldn't make out the faces past the bright lights stationed around the stage, but he could see his coach as the MC gesturing for him to get moving. He complied and headed toward the end of the catwalk, the increase in volume helping him to gain confidence. He pulled off his sunglasses and tossed them into the audience, the screams intensifying at his action. Encouraged, he walked to the end and ripped off his tear away pants, gesturing to the audience to increase their applause. He smiled, enjoying the attention and seeing why the guys didn't mind doing the fundraiser. It was a heady feeling, being appreciated and having people fight and bid for the right to spend time with you. The money going for something important to him certainly helped as well. He heard the bidding starting and continued to put on a show. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt before tossing it into the stands, leaving him in only his shorts and displaying the words BOY TOY across his chiseled chest, drawing shrieks loud enough to drown out Whitey's words.

Haley looked on helplessly as Nathan hammed it up on stage, the girls around the room salivating at the sight of his toned body. "Wow," Brooke admitted, looking around, "I've never seen it quite this bad."

"That's great to hear," Haley frowned, listening as someone on the other side of the room bid $100. "I guess it's a good thing we decided I shouldn't bid on him," she tried to make the best of it, "I couldn't afford that anyway."

The bidding continued and Haley was about to turn around to leave, unable to watch anymore, when Brooke yelled out, "$200."

Her friend turned back to her stunned, "What are you doing?"

"I'm giving you a wedding gift," Brooke smiled, "a date night with your groom to be."

"That's too much," Haley argued, her hands going to her hips, "You shouldn't have."

"Did you want any of them to buy him?" Brooke asked, gesturing around the room, "I can back out."

"No," Haley quickly admitted as Whitey gave the final call for more bids, despite Nathan's already being the highest of the night. "I don't know...thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, just remember that Brooke would make a great name for your firstborn..."

"$500," a voice shouted out, just as the coach was about to slam down his gavel. "I bid $500"

The room quieted as everyone turned to look at the bidder, Haley's stomach dropping as she saw the girl from earlier holding up her hand, cash at the ready.

"Please tell me that isn't who I think it is" Brooke asked, looking back at the blonde who was only able to shake her head, "I can't outbid her...I don't have that much with me."

Haley closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opening them again to unfortunately the same reality, "It's okay, right?" she forced a wan smile, "I mean, we want to raise a lot of money and this will really help..."

"I know, but if that was..."

"No buts," Haley forced a smile on her face, "you were right earlier. I don't have anything to worry about. I trust Nathan."

"I don't know, most guys would take the chance for one last fling before tying the knot, especially if they knew they were going to be stuck married to you," Rachel laughed as she stopped by to mock them, "You know, sow some more wild oats. Of course, after he gets bored with you, he'll do that anyway so you might as well get used to it."

"And yet he still has no interest in your skanky ass," Brooke challenged her, hating the look of defeat in her friend's normally confident eyes. They were full of doubt that belied the confident words she spoke.

Rachel narrowed her eyes, but her smile quickly returned, "We'll see. Innocence can be a big turn on for a while, but once the novelty wears off, they always come running to the women who really know how to handle them."

* * *

Nathan was all smiles as he came back to the back room, getting high fives from his teammates, "I think that's the highest bid ever," Jake told him. "Maybe I should rethink my approach. Do you know who it was?"

Nathan laughed, "I have no idea," he shrugged, still on a bit of a high. It had actually been fun showing off and egging on the crowd, their responses making him do even more than he had intended to raise the bids. "It's too hard to see out there, but I'm glad for the money."

"I can't believe you got that much," one of the other boys said in awe, "I usually go for like 40 bucks. Last year, I got stuck cleaning gutters for the evening."

The other boys laughed, but agreed before telling some of their stories. Nathan grinned, feeling the most camaraderie with his team since he arrived, "I don't really care what I have to do. I'd clean a dozen gutters for that price."

He went into the other room and changed his clothes, figuring jeans and a polo would be a better fit for whatever was planned for the night. He was a little nervous, knowing that many girls bought guys expecting, or at least hoping, to receive more than a goodnight kiss, but figured with his engagement public knowledge, that seemed less likely. In fact, he hoped his evening was something as easy as simple hard work. It would make the time pass faster and help keep him out of his own troubled thoughts.

He headed out to the main lobby and toward the table he'd been told would have his name, getting stopped on the way by one of the freshman, "you are one lucky bastard. I'd bet you aren't going to be getting your beauty sleep tonight."

Nathan frowned as he passed and then looked up ahead to see Haley waiting for him. He relaxed at the sight, realizing what his teammate had meant. She was with Brooke, but ran the last few steps between them as soon as she caught sight of him, throwing her arms around his neck. He stumbled a bit in surprise and before he could even respond, her lips were on his and his whole body melted into hers. This wasn't like either of their previous kisses, sweet and a bit tentative. Instead, it was demanding and possessive as she unmistakably staked her claim. He responded in kind, pulling her closer and ravaging her mouth as he lost all sense of time and place, everything a blank except for the feel of her against him.

"Ahem...Excuse me," someone said from nearby and it wasn't until he felt the tap on his shoulder that he realized they were there and speaking to him. "I don't think that is appropriate at a school function, engaged or not."

He pulled away and let Haley down (when had he picked her up?) before turning to the older woman that he recognized as one of the guidance counselors, "I'm sorry ma'am, I got carried away, but I didn't mean to offend your sensibilities."

Her grumpiness softened at his politeness and lopsided smirk. The expression always seemed to melt any female's heart and obviously hers was no exception. "It's okay. No harm done," she actually giggled at him, making Haley shake her head. She couldn't believe this was the same woman people called an old battle ax. "Young love is often exuberant." She looked over at Haley before gesturing for them to follow. "I've spoken with the young lady that donated so generously in order to spend the evening with you and she informed me she's an old friend of yours. How nice you'll be able to catch up."

Nathan's brow furrowed in confusion and he looked over at Haley who didn't look happy at the development. Obviously she knew more than he did, but he didn't understand her reaction until a woman turned around and stepped forward with her hands outstretched, "Nate."

He looked her over, noticing her hair was longer than the last time he'd seen her, coming down almost to the middle of her back, the silky black tresses shiny and smooth. She was wearing a short black dress that he was sure cost at least as much as his month's rent and high heels that she had always used to increase her height and accentuate what she deemed to be her best feature in her legs. He came back to her face and mentally scolded himself as he saw the smile that said she knew he'd enjoyed the view.

Damn it, she was one of the last people he needed to see on the eve of his wedding, "Tiffany."

* * *

"Didn't you see the way he looked at her," Haley sat with Brooke in her bedroom, her dress for the next day hung a few feet away on the outside of the closet, "it was like he was devouring her with his eyes."

"He probably couldn't help it. Even I gave her the once over," Brooke admitted, "did you see those legs? I bet she's done some modeling..." she noticed Haley's look of disbelief at her statement and quickly hurried on, "at least he didn't seem happy to see her."

Haley grabbed her beer and took several long drinks before she said anything else, "She was beautiful..."

Brooke put her arm around her friend, "You're beautiful too Hales."

"They looked perfect together. Both of them tall, dark, and gorgeous," Haley bemoaned, "I felt like a troll standing next to them."

"Nathan loves you. That means more than some past relationship," Brooke reassured her. " It's not like he's been pining for her all this time. He moved on and tomorrow he's going to start a new life, with you."

"I just love him so much, you know?" the blonde leaned her head on her shoulder, the small amount of alcohol already affecting her, "I don't want to lose him." She burped and then started to giggle. "Did you know that when we were younger, I tried out for the school play? I was told I couldn't act my way out of a paper bag..." her laughter started to turn back to tears as she finished, "I wish Mrs. Dunbar could see me now."

"What are you talking about honey? You aren't making any sense," she helped Haley further up onto the bed, "I can't believe you've been done in by one beer."

"I haven't eaten all day..." Haley admitted, "I'm too nervous."

Brooke shook her head at her, "I think you should lie down, things will seem better in the morning."

"I'm scared to go to sleep, that if I do it'll all have been a dream and he'll be gone again."

"Why would he leave you? You can't honestly think he'll change his mind just because some tramp showed up," Brooke was incredulous. "He wants to marry you."

"You'd be surprised if you knew the truth," Haley shook her finger at her friend, pretending to look around and make sure no one was listening. "Shhh, it's a secret."

"Then what's the truth?" Brooke played along.

"He doesn't love me. He never did."

* * *

"I've missed you, Natey,"

"That's not my name," he snapped at her, "I've always hated that."

"Fine, I'll call you Nathan like your little wifey," she imitated Haley's inflection and he grimaced, unable to hear the simple name he'd heard a million times said that way out of her mouth.

"Just call me Nate."

"If that's what you want," she smiled, reaching over and placing her hand on his leg, "Nate it is, although I'd think you'd be nicer to someone who spent a lot of money for this date. Does Haley get off on you being all tough guy, because I think I could come to like it..."

"Cut the crap. What are you doing here?" Nathan wasn't in the mood for her act. She wouldn't be there if she didn't want something.

"My parents are living here now," she shrugged, "and I got a call from my sister saying she was going to school with my old flame."

"Funny you should call me that," he gave her a dirty look as he pulled into the parking lot, "I thought I was just your seducer."

He had to give her credit for keeping her cool, but that was all he'd give her. He parked the car and turned to look at her, "I'm going to tell you right now that whatever game you're playing, it won't work. Any interest I had in you is long gone...you killed it."

"I'm not playing a game," she tried to reach out to him and he recoiled, causing her to pull back, "I'm genuinely sorry for how I treated you. I know I don't deserve another chance, but I'm hoping for one anyway. I've missed you."

Nathan shook his head and got out of the car, needing to move. How was he supposed to deal with this now, with so much already happening in his life? He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. This was a nightmare. "I can't do this," he finally turned and looked across the car at her. "I'm sorry."

"Wait," she came around to his side and looked up at him. She'd thought he was handsome as a 15 year old, but he'd continued to grow and fill out and was now incredibly sexy. "I'm the one who's sorry. I know you have someone else and I can accept that. Please, let me come in and I promise not to push you again, I just want to catch up..."

Nathan rubbed his hands over his face, "I don't know..."

"Come on," she gave him a playful smile, "we were close once."

"We had a lot of sex," Nathan raised one eyebrow.

"It was more than that and you know it. I made a huge mistake, but I swear I learned from it, I've changed," she could see he was still hesitant, "Please, just spend a few hours with me and let me show you."

She could see he was softening and she went in for the kill, "Come on, it's for your mom and I can go get my money back..."

Nathan sighed and gave in, "Don't make me regret it."

* * *

"I don't believe you," Brooke was shocked by the news her friend had just imparted, "I'm good at reading people, and you two are in love."

Haley shook her head, "it's all for his mom."

Brooke reached for her hands, "Maybe that was the plan, but I'm telling you, no one is that good an actor. He has real feelings for you. Believe me, he was into that kiss as much as you were."

"You have no idea how much I wish that were true," Haley wiped away more tears, "but I can't even let myself hope right now."

Brooke wasn't sure what else to say. She was certain there was something there, that he was at least in the process of falling for her friend, but understood that Haley didn't want any reassurance from anyone other than the person most unlikely to give it. "You're the strongest person I know Haley," she finally settled for, "if he really is too dumb to see how amazing you are, then it's his loss and he doesn't deserve you."

"I know... but I don't want to go back to being safe, boring me," Haley hiccupped, "I want to be happy...with Nathan."

"Then why are you giving up? You've always stood up for what you want, for what you believe in. You need to convince him...to make him see that he wants you too," Brooke thought the answer was obvious. "Talk to him."

"I need you to take me to him," Haley decided, sitting up and moving to the edge of the bed, pausing to stop her head from spinning before she looked back up. "I can't go through with this unless I tell him how I feel."

* * *

Nathan had finally started to relax as they sat on opposite sides of the living room. She'd been true to her word and kept the topics of conversation to catching up on their lives and those of mutual friends. He took another swig of his water, "as nice as this has been, what's your real reason for being here?"

"You've gotten cynical," she tried to laugh off his comments, "I already told you that my parents..."

"I heard what you said," Nathan cut her off, "but you're almost 20 and you've never had much love for your family."

The dark haired beauty pursed her lips, but gave in, "You really want the truth?"

Nathan raised his eyebrows, "Are you serious?"

She gave him a sob story about how she'd been kicked out of college and disowned by her parents. How she'd been wronged and was suffering for no reason in her mind, "I have nothing."

"You had $500," he pointed out, "money you shouldn't have wasted on me."

"That was my parent's money. My sister convinced them to donate it tonight," she admitted, "she just let me do it for her."

"I don't understand why me?" Nathan was confused, "you had to know I wouldn't be excited to see you."

She took a deep breath, knowing this was do or die time, "I was hoping you'd marry me."

Nathan stared at her for several moments, waiting to see if she was serious, before he started to laugh, "that's one of the funniest things I've ever heard."

She stood up and stomped her foot, unprepared for that reaction, "I don't see what's so funny, it makes sense. You need to get married, I need money."

Nathan sobered at her statement, "Why do you think that?"

"Oh come on," she was done pretending, "your grandparents die and leave you a boatload of money, money you have to be married to get...Yes, I know about it," she noticed his look of surprise. "Your beloved mom needs that money, and you just happen to fall in love with a girl you barely know and decide to marry her while you're still in high school. You really expect people to believe that? Everyone that knows the details can see it's just for the money."

Nathan knew he had to play it cool, "I don't care what people think. I'm marrying Haley because I love her."

"I know all about her you know, your fiancée. Tiny little thing, so fragile. You really think she's your match? Your soul mate? You think she'll be able to stand up to the society you'll be expected to move in? Will she be able to handle all the backstabbing and gossip, the derision she'll get for not being one of them? They'll eat her alive. I know them, I'm one of them."

"I have no plans to move in that crowd," Nathan was disgusted by the very idea. "I can't stand them."

"Even if you don't, you want to be a professional athlete. You think that'll be any better? You'll be in the public eye, out of town all the time with constant rumors about who you are and aren't sleeping with. Going to big parties where you're expected to act a certain way? She'd be miserable."

Nathan had to admit that she was right about that, but she didn't know that that wasn't their plan anyway. "She's a lot tougher than you think."

"Maybe," she admitted, "but should she have to go through all that? Get her heart broken over and over again? I'd be a much better choice. I wouldn't expect fidelity and I'd be available anytime you needed me. You know how hot we were together. I bet little smarty pants isn't nearly as good in bed."

Nathan's face must have betrayed something because she started to laugh, "Oh God, she isn't even sleeping with you, is she? That's even better than I thought. I can't even believe this..."

Nathan shook his head, "Why doesn't it surprise me that you think everything is about sex?"

Nathan's phone rang and looked at the familiar number, "excuse me for a minute," he stood and walked back toward his room before answering. "Hello."

"Hey Nate," Quentin's voice was a little scratchy as it came through the line. "How'd your auction go? Did you end up with a cougar?"

Nathan ran his hand over his face, "Sort of," he answered, hearing Tiffany moving around in the other room. "Tiffany bought me."

His friend stopped laughing. "Not your lying, cheating, ex Tiffany right?"

"The very same," Nathan admitted. "I'm stuck with her until midnight.

"Look, I don't condone hitting women, but I'd kick that bitch to the curb before she gets her claws into you again. You barely survived her last time," Q advised, his tone concerned. "You can't trust her."

"I don't," Nathan tried to reassure him. "I can handle her. I've made it clear that I'm not interested in renewing anything with her."

"So where are you?"

"We're at my apartment," Nathan reluctantly admitted. He hadn't really considered the location when she suggested it, too thrown by her sudden reappearance in his life to think it all through.

"That doesn't sound clear at all," Quentin argued. "How does Haley feel about all this? Does she know about her?"

Nathan sighed and sat on his bed, "She knows a little, but I don't know how she feels, we haven't gotten to talk about it. " He thought back to the desperation with which she had kissed him at the school and suspected she knew more than she wanted to. "I can talk to her about it tomorrow."

"You need to send her on her way," Quentin felt a sense of dread he couldn't explain. "I don't care what the rules are, she's trouble."

"It's only another hour," Nathan pointed out, "then I can send her on her way for good. Trust me, I'm not dumb enough to fall for her lines again." Although he admitted she had made some good points about Haley. He'd had more and more thoughts over the previous week about the possibility of them trying a real relationship, a real marriage, but Tiffany was right. Even if they made it through the rough college years in different states, his life would be one that the settled, homebody Haley would hate. He couldn't do that to her, no matter how much he was starting to think it would kill him to let her go. "I can be mature enough to finish this out."

"Don't you dare hurt Haley," Quentin warned him. "If she's still the girl I remember, Tiffany would love nothing more than to tear your relationship apart. She doesn't care who gets hurt as long as she gets her way, and if she's there, she wants you."

Nathan rolled his eyes, "I don't have any intention of letting her near Haley," he thought his friend was going overboard, "I've already told her I'm not interested and at midnight I can get rid of her, hopefully forever."

He shut his phone and walked back to the main room, deciding that was the easiest part of what he needed to do, "It's getting late, I think you should..." he stopped in mid sentence when he found her standing in just a black lace bra and thong, "What are you doing?"

"Wow, you are out of practice if you don't even remember this," she smiled as she ran her hands down her body before sauntering over to him and placing her hands on his shoulders, "I plan to help you with that."

* * *

Haley walked up the steps to Nathan's apartment, her hands sweaty as she prepared to lay her heart on the line. She didn't think she could continue the path they were on without knowing where she stood. If he told her that he had no romantic feelings for her, she felt she could move forward and survive, but not knowing and constantly doubting things was driving her crazy.

She knocked and waited, disappointed that no one came to the door. She'd seen Nathan's car so she was pretty sure he was home, but he wasn't answering. She looked at her watch and noted that it was a almost 1am. She'd purposely waited a little while after she'd sobered up to make sure the ex would be gone, but hadn't considered that he might have gone to bed already. She was pulling out her phone to call him when the door opened and she turned back, "I was beginning to think..." she started, her voice trailing off at the sight of the woman before her in nothing other than what appeared to be one of Nathan's hoodies.

"Oh," the woman shrugged, "it's just you. I thought this late it might be someone important."

Haley's first inclination was to turn tale and leave, her tears furiously fighting to escape, but she held her ground. She'd let herself be bested once already today, but she was tougher than that. She blocked the woman's attempt to close the door and pushed her way inside. "It is half my apartment, so you're the one that doesn't belong here."

"Tell that to Nate."

"I'd be happy to," Haley was trying to be strong, but her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest. Her nerves on the edge of a full fledged panic attack.

She pushed the door opened and stepped inside, hoping against hope that he wasn't actually there. Her hopes were dashed just seconds later when he stumbled out of the bedroom in only his boxers, "Haley? What are you? Tiffany..."

"I guess you didn't expect me," Haley tried to joke, tears springing to her eyes as she looked back and forth between the pair. "You probably would've at least gotten dressed."

Nathan looked down at himself and then at Tiffany, noticing what she was wearing, "this isn't what it looks like Hales," he started toward her. "We didn't...I didn't..."

"What he's trying to say is he still loves me, but he doesn't want to hurt you..." Tiffany looked at Haley, pretending to let her down gently. "He was afraid you'd start crying again."

"That's crap," Nathan shot her a dirty look. "I didn't say that...nothing happened...at least I don't think it did...God, my head is killing me..."

Haley started forward automatically, ready to help as always, but Tiffany beat her there, one side of the sweatshirt slipping down to show her nakedness underneath and Haley backed away. She couldn't do this. Her head was telling her that Nathan was telling the truth, but her heart was breaking and she felt like she couldn't breathe. She turned, feeling the need to get out of the apartment...to get air. "I'm sorry, I thought... I can't do this. I can't marry you."


	37. Chapter 37

I was already up to almost 6k words and still had at least 2 scenes to go, so I ended up splitting this chapter into 2 parts so I could get it posted more quickly. Thanks for all the positive feedback. I'm trying to get these chapters out as quickly as I can, I just have very little free time right now and a typical chapter takes me between 5-10 hours to write (more if I struggle with it). Thanks for your understanding and patience. Now, on to the good stuff.

 **Chapter 37**

Nathan followed her out of the apartment, heedless of his state of undress. "Haley," he yelled as he ran, pausing a few steps down and jumping up and down on one foot as he stepped on a rock. He started down again and was forced to reach for the railing as his world spun. He waited for it to stop and continued on, holding on in case the dizziness returned. Totally frustrated, he finally arrived at the bottom just in time to see Brooke's car pulling away and slammed his hand on the wooden rail in frustration.

"Damn," he sat on the last step and put his head in his hands as tried to quell the nausea roiling through him. "What the hell just happened?"

He tried to get his thoughts together, forcing himself to calm and try to remember the previous couple of hours. He recalled kissing Tiffany on the cheek and practically shoving her unwillingly toward the door. Things got kind of fuzzy after that, but he remembered wanting to take a shower and the next thing he knew, he was in bed and Haley and Tiffany were having a confrontation at his front door.

A couple of young women approached the stairs, giggling as they looked him up and down, one of them inviting him to their room. He quickly remembered his lack of attire and made his way back up to his apartment, surprised to find the girl who had ruined everything still there.

"Get out," he told her as he entered, leaving the door open behind him. "I don't have the patience to deal with you right now."

"Come on Nate, don't be mad," she stood from the stool she'd been sitting on, "She wasn't good enough for you anyway."

"Don't..." he tried to put down the urge to cross the room and strangle her. "Don't you dare say anything about her. She's better than both of us and I just...," Nathan paused and shook his head as he made his way to the couch and sat down, "damn, Quentin was right. I should've kicked you to the curb the moment I saw you again. You've never been anything but trouble."

She was taken aback at the attack, but tried to rally, taking a couple steps toward him, "Only the best kind... I could..."

"I said get out," he pointed at the door, not willing to play along, "I don't want you here."

"Don't say that Nathan, come on," she walked over and knelt down in front of him, "I did this for you...for us. You know we should be the ones getting married."

"Don't you ever give up?" he looked down at her, with distain "You're pathetic. I wouldn't marry you if you were the last woman alive."

She flinched like she'd been smacked, "you weren't saying that an hour ago when we were making love."

This time it was Nathan's turn to draw back, "You're lying. I remember calling a cab for you."

She nodded, "but we ended up in the shower and I forgot all about it," she reached toward him, "I must say, you were awfully good for someone too wasted to even remember it."

He noticed for the first time her hair was damp and felt his stomach cramp. He couldn't possibly have done all that and not remembered it, could he? His head was pounding. There was too much he couldn't remember and most of what she was staying didn't make sense. The one thing he was sure of was he had to get her out of there. "I want you out of here." There weren't many options that late and in the state he was in, so he did the only other thing he could think of, he called his brother.

* * *

Nathan opened the door before Lucas could even knock, surprising the blonde, "Thanks for coming. I really need you."

Lucas looked over at the woman sitting on the couch, dressed again in her short dress, "Dude, I'm flattered but Peyton would..."

Nathan rolled his eyes, "Not that, get your mind out of the gutter. I need you to take her home."

"Are you okay?" Lucas noticed his brother's flushed face. He didn't look good. "I was surprised you called me."

"I don't have anyone else. Besides, Haley still trusts you and I need you to check on her for me too," Nathan shook his head and gave him a brief rundown on the evening. "I know this didn't start as a normal marriage, but however she feels, she at least has the right to expect me to be faithful...to not embarrass her."

"Did you do it?" Lucas knew how Haley really felt and how devastated she probably was at what she saw, or at least thought she saw. What he wanted to know was if he should help him or punch him in the face. "Did you sleep with her?"

"No..." Nathan ran his hand through his hair, "at least I don't think so, but my brain is too fuzzy to know for sure. I certainly didn't intend to." He looked over at the woman responsible, sitting there as if she didn't have a care in the world while his was falling apart, and felt sick to his stomach that he'd ever even looked twice at her. How could he have been so stupid to trust her even the slightest bit? He didn't want to believe even drunk he would've been crazy enough to have sex with her again, but without his memories, he couldn't be one hundred percent sure. He felt the nausea rise in his throat again and had so swallow it down. He felt like he was going to be sick.

Lucas blew out a breath, it was worse than he even thought. He understood why Haley had been upset, but he couldn't help but feel for Nathan as well. He was obviously hurting, "What are you going to do?"

"I tried calling her and she hung up on me," Nathan admitted, wiping his clammy hands on the shirt he'd thrown on. "I can't blame her," he closed his eyes for a moment. "I really screwed up. I swear though, I would never purposely do something to hurt her. She means too much to me. I need you to talk to her, to let her know I'm sorry."

"Look, I don't know what I can do. Haley and I aren't as close as we used to be, but I'll go to her," Lucas promised, knowing he would've headed there regardless of the dark haired Scott's pleas. "If I were you, I'd get some sleep and be prepared to grovel tomorrow...a lot."

* * *

"So, you're pretty hot yourself," Tiffany reached out from her side of Lucas' car. He had barely spoken to her since he gestured for her to leave with him and she was tired of the silent treatment. The whole evening had gone against her plans and while she was pretty sure she'd managed to salvage something out of it by getting the wedding cancelled, she wasn't any closer to getting Nathan to consider her as a viable alternative. She wondered about the relationship between the brothers and if it was as rocky as she'd heard. Maybe she could use that to her advantage.

He removed her hand and pulled over to the side of the road, "Look. I know you're probably used to getting whatever you want, but it's not going to happen this time. You need to stay away from Nathan."

"He's being so difficult. I just wanted to spend some time with him and he used me and then discarded me like trash. I could use some help... " she fished a little, "I heard you two don't really get along,"

"Drop the act," Lucas rolled his eyes, giving her a look that said she wasn't fooling him, "He's still my brother and I'm not going to stand by and watch while you hurt him, or my best friend Haley. Whatever game you're playing, it won't work."

She let the pout fall from her face and studied him, "You think you're so tough. You don't know anything about me or what I'm doing...you've never had to scratch for anything in your life."

"Maybe not, but I know that you don't want the Scotts as your enemies," Lucas narrowed his eyes, "So if you're smart, you'll go back to wherever you came from and come up with another plan, because one thing we're good at is taking down any threat to our family."

* * *

Lucas found Brooke sitting on the floor in the hallway outside the James upstairs bathroom, flipping through a magazine while she talked on the phone, "Luke's here," she said into the receiver,, her voice belaying her exhaustion, "I'll talk to you later. Love you."

She stood and led him into Haley's room before gesturing back outside, "she's been locked in there for over an hour."

"Nathan is a mess too," Lucas shook his head and looked up at the ceiling, "I wanted to strangle that bitch with my bare hands."

"Who cares about him? This is his fault," Brooke's hands went to her hips, "He just trampled all over her heart and you're going to worry about him? Some best friend you are."

"I'm not saying he didn't screw up," Lucas put his hands up as though to defend himself, "but I really don't think he slept with her and even if he did, I don't think it's all his fault. You should've seen him Brooke. He looked messed up. I think she did something to him. "

Brooke's stance softened slightly, "That sucks, but it's still his fault for even taking her there. What was he thinking?"

"He probably wasn't," Lucas shrugged. Brooke scowled at him and he added, "Look, I don't know and he wasn't really chatty when I saw him, but I'm pretty sure that hurting Haley wasn't anywhere in his intentions. I think he really cares about her."

"Well it still happened," she pointed out, still angry at the guy who was causing her friend so much heartache. She closed her eyes and sighed, "I can't believe this. They're supposed to be getting married in like 9 hours."

"I don't think that's going to happen now," Lucas shook his head, "Nathan said she called it off."

Brooke looked over at the wedding dress hanging on the door, "No wonder she's in there. She's got to be devastated. She was really hoping for that fairytale ending."

Lucas sighed and headed back toward the bathroom, " I'm going in. She shouldn't be alone right now."

He took a pocketknife out of his pants and jimmied the door open, finding Haley sitting on the floor and leaning against the bathtub, "I'm so sorry Hales," he said, squeezing his lanky frame down on the floor next to her, "I hate that this happened to you... so does he for what it's worth."

She nodded, her eyes dry as she continued to stare at the wall. She had cried until it felt like there were no more tears and now she was just numb. She didn't feel anything at the moment and while that probably should've scared her, it was easier that way. She couldn't hurt if she didn't feel. "It's okay, he shouldn't blame himself. I should've expected it."

Lucas pulled back to search her face, "What? Why?"

"Oh come on Luke, you saw her. That's his type, not this," she gestured to her body, covered in sweatpants and a t-shirt, "I never had a chance and everyone knew it except me."

"Come on Hales," Lucas shook his head, "you're beautiful. Any guy would be lucky to have you."

"I know," she forced a small smile, "but they don't seem to. It's my fault anyway. He never lied to me. He said friends and roommates and I was the one that fell for him...I was the one that broke the rules and wanted something other than what we agreed on. I was the one that tried to change things. I can't blame him for not following rules he didn't even know about."

"Haley," her calm acceptance and self blame were creeping him out. She should be angry, not blaming herself, "even if he didn't know how you feel, he should've been more careful of your feelings."

She completely brushed off his comments, "How is he? I need to apologize for breaking off the wedding and letting him down. He's probably worried sick about his mom now."

"He's worried about you," Lucas was too. This wasn't at all what he'd expected to find and he had no idea how to help her. "We all are."

"I'm fine," she waved him off, "just another lesson that sometimes the smart girl is really dumb. I think it might actually sink in this time."

"You fell in love," Lucas lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "there's nothing dumb about that. The only person who's dumb is Nathan if he can't see what an incredible gift that is."

Haley tried to look away from his searching gaze, so much like that of his brothers. She didn't want to talk about her feelings, she wanted to forget they even existed. It was so much easier when she didn't feel.

He pulled her against his chest and she settled there, comforted for a moment by the familiar feel and smell of him, so similar and yet so different from Nathan's. His brother's chest was bigger, his arms stronger, and his smell spicier. She found herself, despite everything, wishing it were his body she was embracing and that finally broke through her wall, crumbling it to the ground as her tears started to fall again for the first time in over an hour. "It wasn't even real. Why does it have to hurt so bad?"

* * *

Nathan woke to the sound of someone beating on his door and looked at the clock. 9am already? He hadn't gotten to bed until after 6 and then he'd had trouble getting to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he'd pictured the look of horror and betrayal on Haley's face. She'd looked shattered and every time he'd remembered it, he wanted to kick himself for being the one to put that look there. He tried to wipe the sleep from his eyes and stumbled to answer as the knocking intensified.

"What the hell man?" Quentin burst through the door as soon as it opened. "I get a text that the wedding is off and then you don't answer your phone? I thought the bitch might've killed you."

"That might've been preferable," Nathan rubbed his hands over his face and went over to the kitchen to make himself toast. His stomach was still roiling and he didn't think he'd be able to keep anything else down. The two times he'd tried in the early hours of the morning had ended up with him in the bathroom on his hands and knees and the room spinning. "She drugged me."

Q came over and sat on the chair next to his friend, "and I'm assuming something happened after that with Haley?"

Nathan nodded and gave a basic explanation, "I swear, she looked like she'd been stabbed in the chest."

"Okay," Quentin could almost picture it, "but it wasn't your fault. That jealous..."

"Yes it was," Nathan cut him off, "I was stupid and cocky. I thought that I had it all under control, that I could handle her. I was so convinced that she wouldn't get the better of me this time, but all that did was make me careless. I never should've brought her here, I never should've underestimated how badly she wanted to get her hands on my money or the lengths she would go to to try. It was all my fault and Haley paid the price."

"What are you going to do if she doesn't marry you?" Quentin couldn't help but ask. "Are you going to try and find someone else? You aren't actually going to marry Tiffany are you?"

"What? Hell no," Nathan looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "I don't want to marry anyone else. I have to find some way to get Haley to forgive me."

"I hate to say I told you so," Q put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "but I knew this was going to get messy. You had too many feelings for each other for this whole friend thing to work, even from a distance I could see that. Maybe someone you don't know so well would be easier..."

"You seriously think that because I have feelings for her, I should marry someone else?" Nathan was incredulous. "That doesn't even make sense. Besides, I don't want anyone else, I want Haley."

Quentin smiled then, "Finally, you come to your senses," he slapped his friend on the back before becoming serious again. "You have to be sure though. This is marriage and the friends only ship has already sailed. If you decide to do this now, it'll be for real."

Nathan nodded, he finally knew how he'd deal the rest out later. "I am. I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner, but when she called off the wedding, I was devastated."

"Of course you were," Q didn't get the point. "You need that money."

"Yeah, but not once did I think about it in terms of needing to get married or what I was going to do about my inheritance. It was because I don't want lose her... to live without her."

"You know it's probably not going to be easy," Quentin felt the need to warn him. "If she was really as hurt as you say, she might not forgive you. This isn't something you guys can just brush aside."

Nathan knew it was the truth, he just hoped he was up to the task of helping her get past it.

* * *

It had taken almost 20 minutes for Nathan to convince Brooke to let him speak to her, but Haley was finally walking out onto the back porch with him. She'd obviously just gotten up and her eyes were still sunken and red-rimmed, making him want to kick himself all over again.

"I'm sorry," he said as soon as the door closed behind them. "I should've never have agreed to spend a minute with her, no matter the amount of money."

"No, I'm sorry," Haley held up her hand, "I shouldn't have reacted like a jealous girlfriend. I had no right. You've made it perfectly clear to me that we're just friends..."

"No, Hales..."

"Let me finish please?" he didn't like it, but he nodded and let her continue, "We had an agreement to keep our relationship platonic...to be friends and roommates. I got carried away and started to let myself think some of it was real and..."

"It was...you..."

"It's okay," she tried to smile at him, "I know it wasn't. I know how much it means to you and that you'd do or say anything to make this wedding happen, but you don't have to pretend anymore. We can still have the wedding, I won't let you down."

"It's not pretend Haley, I felt it too," he stepped toward her but she recoiled and he moved back. "It's not just about my mom anymore. It's about us. I want there to be an us...for real."

"I don't believe you," she turned her head away for a moment and then looked back at him. "It's just too convenient, especially knowing how desperate you must be. "

He waited for her to say more, but when she just continued to look at him, he wiped his hands on his pants and continued. "I am desperate, but not how you mean. I'm desperate to make you understand how I feel. I didn't cheat on you Hales. No matter what she said, I had no interest in her and all we did was talk."

"You sure didn't look uninterested when you saw her at the school," Haley sat on the swing and looked up at him. "You looked like a starving man who was just sat in front of a buffet."

Nathan felt guilty at the accusation, but didn't think it was totally fair, "I wasn't sure it was really her at first. She's changed a lot in the last couple years..." he could tell she wasn't buying it and admitted, "and okay, she's always been incredibly beautiful. Unfortunately, she's also a selfish, lying..." he bit his tongue as she frowned, "woman. I've had enough of her crap to last a lifetime. I am not in any way interested in her, I want you."

"That's interesting," Haley laughed as she leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, not letting herself react to the frantic beating of her heart from his words. She couldn't let herself believe them, because if she did and they weren't true, she wasn't sure she'd ever recover, "She said you were in love with her."

Nathan frowned at the memories of that time, when he had been young and foolish enough to think that lust and sexual chemistry were anything more than just that. "I guess I thought I was at one point," he couldn't look at her as he talked about it, "before I really got to know her. I was still struggling with James' death and away from home for the first time. Quentin was still a mess and she helped me forget it all," he stopped for a moment and she could see he was lost in thought. "It took me a while before I could look back and see how wrong it all was...how easy I was to dupe."

Haley could see that talking about it was difficult for him and stopped him, "It doesn't matter, it's none of my business."

He'd never seen her so cold and detached before and it made him wonder if it really was too late. "It is your business. You deserve to know everything."

He told her a story about his 15 year old self who was entranced by the 17 year old Tiffany who introduced him to sex and drinking and even dabbling in a few recreational drugs for a couple of months. Every guy was jealous of him and he enjoyed the attention it brought, the chance to be someone else for a while, until her parents came home early from vacation and caught them together. Then she turned on him and accused him of getting her drunk and seducing her, an accusation that had come very close to sending him to jail. The next time he'd seen her, she'd made it clear that he was just a bit of fun and mocked him for thinking there was anything else to their relationship.

"It was never love," he promised her, "it was infatuation and flattery, but it wasn't anything like I'm feeling now. Over these last few months, you've been the best part of my life. I look forward to each time I see you and..."

"Stop, please," Haley was almost begging, "I can't do this with you. When you came here, I started to have feelings for you and you acted like maybe they were reciprocated, but then you left and nothing. We texted for a few days and then basically nothing for weeks..."

"You know those were school rules," he tried to defend himself.

"Maybe, but I'm sure you could've found a way if you'd really cared," she pointed out. "You managed to have an affair while you were there, but couldn't manage phone calls?"

He knew she was right, but he'd been too busy fighting against his feelings to recognize them for what they really were. "I hadn't figured it out yet."

She stood up and walked past him, her emotions forcing themselves out, "Then you come back and give me this whole thing about just being friends and I was okay with that, knowing you'd at least be in my life, but then we had to act like a couple and the lines started to blur between what was real and what wasn't. I didn't know how to feel or what to think. Was it more, or was it all an act? Did I really have feelings for you or was it just the situation making me think that?"

He tried to tell her he felt the same way, but she wasn't done. She sat back down and put her head in her hands.

"Now this happens and you think I'm going to mess up your plans, put your money at risk, and suddenly you decide you want me? I can't do it. It's just too much for you to expect me to trust it's real. When I left your apartment, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. I felt like my world was ending and I shut down. I never, ever want to feel that way again. I can't let myself go back to that place."

"How can I prove it to you?" he knelt down in front of her. "I'll do it. You want me to shout it from the rooftops? Write a song about it? What do you need?"

"I don't know," she said quietly, unable to hold his gaze, "I'm not sure what it would take. I just...I need some time and I guess I need to see that it's not different tomorrow or the next day. I have to know it's real and not just a knee jerk reaction to losing what you thought was your only option."

"I don't care about the money," he tried and she stood and started to walk back into the house.

"Okay, I do..." he admitted, reaching for her arm to ask her to wait, "because I love my mom and I have to help her. But that's not why I'm saying this. I'm saying it because it's how I feel and I don't want to lose you."

"You aren't losing me, you'll never lose me," she turned back to him, softening a bit. "I just can't be more than friends right now. Maybe someday things will be different, but I just don't know if I'll ever be able to take that chance."

Nathan sighed and leaned back against the rail. "I'll prove you can trust me Hales," he vowed. "I promise."

Haley shivered at the intensity in his eyes, but forced herself to remain still. "I guess we'll see."

* * *

Haley sat still as her mother and Brooke fixed her hair and makeup, her mind lost in thought over the morning conversation. Nathan had seemed so earnest that she'd been tempted to just throw her arms around him, but it had only been hours earlier that she'd felt like her heart had been ripped out. She never wanted to feel that way again and that meant protecting herself from things that could hurt her... things like Nathan. Brooke didn't understand how she could do that and still marry him, but she knew she had to try or she'd feel guilty about it forever. They'd made their pact as friends and that was something that she could hold onto. Even if he never felt the same way, she loved him too much to let him down.

Brooke finished her eyeliner and she opened her eyes to find a stranger staring back at her. Could the bride in her mirror really be her? It felt surreal after everything that had happened in the previous 24 hours.

She smiled as she caught her mother's eyes in the mirror as she pinned the last few curls into place and set the veil on top of her head, her eyes brimming with tears, "You look so beautiful," her mother gushed, grabbing a tissue to blot her cheeks, "My baby girl getting married."

Haley forced a bright smile to her face and turned to hug her, "I love you mom," she told her, a few of her own tears trying to surface. "I know I don't tell you enough how much you and dad mean to me."

Lydia leaned back, "We know anyway. You've grown into such an amazing young woman and we are so proud of you."

Haley felt a rush of guilt well up inside her that she hadn't told them of the previous evening's events. As far as she was concerned, the less people who knew the better, especially with the knowledge that his uncle would be attending the wedding.

"I know this isn't the way you always envisioned it," her mother continued, fussing with her veil, "but your kindness and generosity are as beautiful as you are. Someday, I hope you have a child who brings you as much joy as you've brought us."

Quinn moved around them, snapping pictures, "You look great," she gushed as she adjusted her camera. "My baby sis, getting married."

Taylor came back into the room, her bridesmaid dress accentuating her tiny waist, "I need to talk to you," she told her mother, pulling her aside for a moment.

"I'm almost done, can't this wait?" her mother tried to stay put.

Taylor wasn't having any of it though and pulled her out the door before closing it. Making sure they were out of earshot, she whispered, "Nathan isn't here yet."

"What?" Lydia's voice carried and her daughter had to shush her, "Where is he?"

"His family went looking for him," she shrugged, "We haven't heard anything back yet."

Lydia looked back toward the closed door, "I'm not telling her until we hear something for sure," she decided. "This could break her, and if it does, I'll break him."

* * *

Deb walked along the boardwalk , careful to make sure her heals didn't snag on the wooden planks. She could see Nathan ahead and released a breath of relief that she'd been right in her guess of where to look for him. She made her way in his direction and was surprised that she was almost touching him before he seemed aware of her presence. He must've really been deep in thought to be so easily caught unawares.

"How'd you find me?" he turned and leaned back against the rail as he faced her.

She took in his appearance, noting the weariness in the way he held himself. He'd faced so much in his short life and it was no wonder he'd finally needed to just take a break from it all. "You've always loved the water, ever since Cooper took us to the lake when you were 4," she looked out at the river, "It's beautiful here."

Nathan nodded and looked back out at it, "It helps me remember that I'm just a small part of this world. That my problems aren't as insurmountable as they seem. Although, I have to say that this time, they are pretty damn big."

"I hope you don't mind, but Quentin filled me in a bit on what's been going on. I'm sorry," she saw him tense and wanted to just pull him into her arms as she'd done when he was little, "What are you doing here? You should be getting ready for the wedding."

"I'm not sure there should be a wedding," he kept his gaze off in the distance. "I think I've already been too selfish, especially with her." He paused and turned toward his mom, "You know, I met her for the first time right over there. We literally ran into each other and I had a feeling she was someone I could fall for," he shook his head, "unfortunately, it took me a while to actually do something about it and because of that, she got hurt, more than once."

"You're 17 honey, it's okay to not have all the answers," Deb felt for him, knowing how hard emotions were to handle, especially when you were so young. "The question is, what do you feel now?"

"I'm in love with her," he didn't hesitate in his answer, "but that doesn't mean this is right. I've been thinking about this all morning and as much as I hate what Tiffany did last night, she made some good points."

Deb listened as he related the previous evening's conversation, "Don't you think she could handle it? I think the fact that she has her own life, her own goals, would make it easier on her. Besides, she doesn't seem like the kind of person that would let something like that beat her."

"I know she could," Nathan answered, "I just don't know that she should have to. She wants a family and a home with little kids running around, not a husband who's gone most of the time, or one who wants to go to school in another state."

"Don't you think that should be up to her?"

"Maybe," Nathan admitted, "but she'd never make the decision to call it quits, especially with the money at stake and what it means to us. I don't want her to have any regrets."

"What if her regret is that she lost the love of her life?" Deb countered. "I definitely don't want her to end up like me, scared to be hurt again, spending years mourning what she had when she was young. I don't want that for you either."

"This is so hard...I wish I had more time," he shook his head, "I don't want to make this decision right now."

"Forget about the money," Deb told him. When he started to protest she waved him off, "We'll figure something out, we always do. Just make this decision for you. Is The first question you have to ask yourself is if she's the one you want to spend the rest of your life with? The second is, do you love her enough to fight through all the obstacles in your way in order to do that?"

* * *

Lucas knocked on the door to the room where the women were getting ready and Lydia carefully came out, shutting the door behind her. "Did you find him?"

Lucas shook his head no and she cursed before he added, "but his mother did."

"So is he here? What did he say?"

Lucas shook his head, "All I know is I'm supposed to give Haley this." He held out an envelope with her daughter's name on the outside. "It's from him."


	38. Chapter 38

_I'm sitting here in what we planned to be our apartment, wearing my tux and scribbling this out on one of your girly notepads because I'm not sure I could get this out if you were standing in front of me. I'd lose my nerve and you'd probably freak out and stop me even if I didn't. You do have a tendency to ramble when you're nervous._

She frowned at the paper. Was he really going to complain about that at a time like this? She continued to the next line.

 _Stop scowling at me. Didn't anyone ever tell you your face will freeze that way?_

She rolled her eyes but smiled a little, not at the joke but at the fact that he knew her that well.

 _That's so much better. Did you know that your smile is one of the first things I noticed about you? You were obviously embarrassed the first time we met, but you were able to laugh at yourself and that smile caught my attention. It had been a rough few days for me, and it helped me feel like everything was going to be okay, that maybe I could find some pieces of happiness during what was an awkward, embarrassing time for myself. That smile lights up the room and gave me hope , something it has continued to do every time I've seen it since._

 _You know it's funny the things you don't realize until it might be too late, but I think that I started to fall for you that very first night. Over the next few months, I got to know you and I started to look forward to each encounter as the best part of my day. I was jealous of Lucas, yes I admit it and you can say I told you so. He'd known you longer and you were such a good friend to him, defending him, helping him, being there for him even when he didn't deserve it. I wanted that for myself and yet the more you gave me, the more I craved. That scared me because I was becoming dependent on you and that's something I've never felt comfortable with. The only people I've ever let myself need were James Fields and my mother. I never knew my father, Mr. Fields left us, and my mother is on the verge of doing the same. I don't want to let myself need anyone else, to become vulnerable that way. I've always been self reliant and the fear of opening up made me hide my feelings for you, even from myself for a long time. I told myself I was too young and it couldn't be real. I buried them in hard work, in school, even in worrying about my mom. I forced myself to remember how hard things would be and all the challenges we'd face. I used anything I could think of to stop me from running back to you because it was easier to believe that it would be a mistake, but it's not. I realize that now._

 _I guess I should've figured all of this out when you were the only person I was willing to consider marrying, or when kissing you seemed like something I never wanted to stop doing, or when I realized that my heart skipped a beat each time you walked into the room, but delusions can be awfully strong and being stubborn worked against me yet again. I continued to wear blinders until last night when I thought I might lose you. I was confused and shaken (I can explain that more later if you want), but as I tried to figure out what had happened, all I could think about was your face as you left and how I never wanted you to feel that way again. I realized that I didn't want to live without you and for the first time admitted that I didn't just want your friendship or your help, I wanted everything with you. Now that I have let myself admit them, it feels like those feelings are taking over every part of me and I feel like I'm going to burst if I don't let them out. It's a strange feeling, as terrifying as it is exhilarating and I'm at a loss for how to handle it. Hopefully you can help with that. :)_

 _It's not about my mom anymore, I've discovered that my family has my back more than I gave them credit for and she's strong and willing to keep fighting. The money would make it a lot easier, but don't let guilt guide you in this. (She's assured me we'll find another way if we don't marry and I believe her.) This is about us. I want to be with you, but I also want you to be happy. If it were totally up to me, that would be as my wife, but if that's not what you want or if you don't feel like you can trust me, I'll accept that and move on. I won't hold it against you and I will always be your friend, someone you can come to if you need me. But, (I'm crossing my fingers here) if you think you can forgive me and are willing to give us a real chance, I'll be ready and waiting to start a life with you. There's nothing I want more. Fair warning though, if you join me, I plan to spend the rest of our lives proving to you that you made the right choice._

 _Your groom (hopefully),_

 _Nathan_

"What's it say?"

She wiped the tears from her eyes on the back of her hand and closed the note before looking up at the other women in the room with her. "He's here."

"So is the wedding on?" Lydia asked as everyone turned to face the bride. "It's your call."

Haley took a deep breath and let it out, "What do you think?"

Her mother took a few steps and reached for her hands. "I think it's your decision and you need to follow your heart. What's it telling you?"

"That I love him," Haley admitted, "but I'm not sure I trust him anymore. Do you think that's wrong? Maybe I'm blowing this whole thing out of proportion..."

"No," Brooke stepped in, "don't doubt yourself. He messed up and I don't know how you think you can consider marrying him."

Haley felt like she was being pulled in different directions. She was still hurt and knew it would take a little time to rebuild the trust between them, especially when she still had a small sliver of doubt that his feelings were as strong as he claimed. He hadn't said he loved her after all, but she wanted to believe him and give them a chance. "He didn't mean to hurt me..."

"Don't make excuses for him," Brooke shook her head. "Don't let him put you in that position."

"I'm not making excuses for him, he shouldn't have been with her, but it was a mistake," Haley turned to the door as Lucas walked in, "What do you think? Am I making a mistake?"

Her friend stuck his hands in his pockets, "I can't make that choice for you Hales. You know we don't really get along that well."

"I'm not asking you to, but you've been my best friend for a long time and I want to know what you think," she wasn't sure why, but she needed to hear his opinion. "Can I trust him?"

"I think that he made a mistake, but he was wronged as much last night as you were," Lucas pointed out, "maybe even more."

"What happened? Is he okay?" Haley frowned, "he didn't say anything..."

"I think he was more worried about you, but that woman messed him up. Anything more than that, you'll have to get from him." The women looked slightly abashed at his statement, "He genuinely seems to care about you. It took a lot for him to call me last night, especially in the state he was in, but he did it because he wanted to make sure I was there for you."

Quinn stepped forward, "You need to just set aside everything that's happened and think about the future. Picture what you want your life to be like someday. Do you see him standing next to you?"

Haley nodded and her sister continued, "Do you think you'll regret it if you let him go?"

Haley nodded, "I know I would, but this is marriage... I need to see him."

* * *

Nathan paced nervously back and forth in the room where the other men got ready, "What if she doesn't come?" he asked his mom, turning again to see if anyone was headed their way. "Maybe she doesn't feel the same way or maybe she thinks I'm crazy to do this before we even date..."

"Stop it honey," Deb tried to calm his nerves. "I'm sure she feels the same, I could see it the first time I met her, but if you don't take a break you're going to collapse."

He stopped and dropped down into a chair, leaning his head back and closing his eyes for a moment, "I just wish Lucas would come back already with news."

"That seems to be a new development," his mother prodded, causing him to open his eyes, "last time we talked, you were still pretty upset with him."

"He cares about Haley," Nathan shrugged. "I can at least trust that and right now, it's what's most important."

"I'm really proud of you Nathan," she reached out to touch his face, "you've been mature way beyond your years, but I want you to be one hundred percent sure this is what you want before you do it. This is a really big deal."

"I'm sure. I can't explain how I know it's right," his forehead furrowed, "or why it took so long to get it right, but I do. "

Deb smiled and stepped back, "good, she's here."

He turned and his eyes widened as she saw his bride, her dress held up above the ground as she made her way into the room

"Haley," he jumped to his feet and his voice cracked slightly at how amazing she looked. He was so glad she was there, but her expression gave him pause.

He saw his mother slip out of the room and started to speak, but she put her finger up against his lips, "I'm not ready to forgive you or really for any of this," she gestured all around her.

"I'm so sorry Hales, I swear I never..."

"I know," she cut him off, "it's not just you I'm having trouble trusting. I don't trust myself and my judgment right now and I have to admit, it's hard to believe your feelings changed so quickly."

"They didn't," he argued, "I swear. You can ask Q, I've had feelings for a long time, I just didn't want to admit it."

"Because I'm not your type?"

"I don't have a type Hales, and if I did it would be you," he took her hands in his, "I didn't want to have feelings for you because I'm scared. We're so young and we already have dreams and plans that could pull us apart. I don't want either one of us to get hurt..."

"and now you don't care?" she tried to pull away, but he held fast.

"No, now I realize that it's too late for that. Going forward together is the only way we can come out of this whole," he urged her to understand. "I think we can get past this and be really wonderful together."

"I want that too," she smiled. She felt a weight lifted she didn't even realize was there, "but I need to say some things," she fiddled with her hands, "I'm scared too. Scared of being hurt, of how you make me feel. I know you have a past and I'm not like her, or anyone else you've been with..."

"Thank God," Nathan answered

"I'm hurt and jealous and confused," she admitted, " I thought I was handling it pretty well until it came and smacked me in the face, but I want to get past it for real."

"We will," he reassured her, "Look at me," he drew her face up to look at his, "The past doesn't matter. What matters is that we're okay...right? That we're going to be together."

"We're going to take it slow?"

"We're going to take as much time as you want, you're in control," he promised, kissing her forehead. He reached for her hand and rubbed his thumb against her ring, "We can crawl if you need to. I want this to work Hales, whatever it takes."

She took a deep breath and then took a step back, "Then I think it's time we start."

* * *

Nathan stood nervously on the steps of the gazebo as he waited for the music to start and Haley to come into view. Despite her words a little while earlier, there were still a few things to do before the wedding could start, so while they were done, he had felt like he was having a breakdown. "I've never seen you like this man," his best man laughed. "The guys on the team wouldn't believe it, you're always so cool under pressure."

Nathan shook his head as he glared at his best friend, "Pressure to make a shot in a game is entirely different from getting married. What if she changes her mind? What if she decides she's not willing to take the chance I'll screw up again?"

"Calm down," his uncle and second groomsman wrapped his arm around his shoulders, "She said she wanted this too. I'm sure we'll hear the music start in a couple minutes."

Nathan nodded, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants and adjusting his tie for the millionth time. "I know, it's just that now that I know what I want, it's hard being patient waiting for it."

"If what you told me is true, you better get used to it," Quentin pointed out. "You might be taking a lot of cold showers over the next few months."

"At least all the waiting is foreplay," Cooper nudged him in the shoulder.

"Can we not talk about this?" Nathan tugged his tie loose, not caring anymore if it looked perfect. "I'll wait as long as necessary and I'll take a million ice baths if that's what I have to do. I want to do this right. She deserves at least that much."

"So do you," his friend assured him. "You deserve to be happy."

The music Haley had chosen started and the three men took their places, it was show time.

* * *

Haley floated down the aisle on her father's arm and Nathan felt like he'd been sucker punched. He'd just seen her a few minutes earlier, but she was smiling broadly this time and her beauty took his breath away. He moved down to the bottom and waited for her father to kiss her cheek and then place her hand in his, helping her up to the platform where she handed off her flowers to Brooke. The minister began, greeting the guests and giving a short sermon on marriage and commitment before they reached the time for their vows.

"I'd like to say my own," Nathan interrupted as he was getting ready to start. They had planned on doing the traditional repetition, but he felt the need to speak. He squeezed her hands in his own and cleared his throat, "When I met you, my world was in disarray and it seemed like nothing would ever be right again, but you shined light into that world with your beauty, your kindness, and your strength. You have changed my life for the better in so many ways and I don't know how I ever thought I could be complete without you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I promise to protect you, to support you, and to do everything in my power to be the kind of husband you can be proud to have at your side." He reached back and took the wedding ring from Q and slid it onto her finger. "Always and forever."

Haley wiped away a few tears and took a deep breath, "Nathan, I knew the moment we met that you were someone I could fall for. You're strong and generous, funny and thoughtful...You bring out the best in me. You've shown me what real strength and courage are and helped me to find them in myself. I feel like for the first time in my life, I can truly be the me I was meant to be and it's because of you. I promise to support you, to comfort you, and to be the kind of wife you deserve to have at your side." She slid his ring onto his finger, "Always and forever."

The minister said a few more words and then pronounced them husband and wife. Nathan stepped forward, a question in his eyes asking her if she was ready for this or if he should just keep it short and simple. Her answering nod brought a smile to his face as he reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand, "I've been wanting to do this all day," he whispered just before his lips met hers and everyone around them faded to the background.

* * *

"I can't believe you went through with it," Raymond said as he arrived at the end of the reception line. "I've got to give you credit for having balls of steel. I guess that amount of money is a pretty big motivator though, huh little lady?"

Nathan pulled Haley closer to his side, glad he had the legitimate right to do so, "I won't have you speaking that way to my wife."

"Listen you little upstart," he took a step closer to his nephew, "if you think I'm just going to stand by while you take what should be mine, you've got another thing coming to you."

"Did you get him another gift?" his wife came up just then and Nathan was surprised she seemed to not notice the tension. "It was generous of you to pay for the wedding honey. I didn't know you'd done anything else."

"Nothing he didn't already know about dear," the older man turned into the doting husband right before their eyes. "I just wanted to remind him that I'll always be around...if they need us of course."

"Of course," she smiled, "it was a lovely wedding. I'm so happy for the two of you and it was wonderful to see your mother again after all these years. She looks as pretty as ever. Such a shame she never reconciled with her parents. That was the thing they wished for most in their last years..."

"Thanks, I'm sure she would appreciate hearing so," Nathan managed to keep up the pleasantries. "Speaking of her, we need to go talk to her for a moment and then it's time for pictures. If you would excuse us?"

"He just doesn't quit, does he?" Haley was stunned as they walked away. She couldn't believe that a family member would be so openly vindictive. "I can't believe someone would want money so badly they would act that way."

Nathan wasn't surprised at all, he'd seen people do a lot worse for a lot less. "Can we not talk about him?" he squeezed her hand. "I want today to just be about us."

She nodded and felt her resolve crumble a little. He looked so handsome and he was acting the way she'd always wanted him to, but the tiny voice in her head kept reminding her that he needed her and that it could all be for appearances. She was going to have to shore up her defenses before things went any further, but she was going to do her best to just be in the moment and enjoy the day. "I think that sounds wonderful."

* * *

Nathan leaned down and whispered in her ear as they took their places for yet another picture, "Are we going to be done anytime soon?"

"Having trouble standing still?" she teased him, turning slightly to fix the tie he'd just loosened for the tenth time. "You're like a little kid."

"Maybe, but if I have to say cheese one more time and don't actually get any, my stomach is going to rebel," he responded, forcing a light giggle out of her when his stomach growled in agreement.

"That's it right there, that's perfect," Quinn stopped what she was doing and then yelled out, "That secret smile."

Nathan rolled his eyes and the smile broke free again, sending Quinn into a flurry of activity as she recorded every second, "That's enough," Haley finally said, "we need sustenance."

"About time," Nathan murmured, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the tent where the reception was being held.

"Wait," she tried to keep up with him in her heels, "We have to wait for everyone..."

They rounded the corner and he cut her off with a kiss, "I've been waiting to do that again for the last hour."

"Mmm hmm," she slowly opened her eyes, "why didn't you just do it out there? We're married and most of them wouldn't have thought twice."

"Because it isn't about putting on a show. This just for us," he quickly kissed her again just as some of the others caught up to them. "Ready to go in Mrs. Scott?"

"It's Mrs. James-Scott," she reminded him, "and most definitely."

* * *

They were sitting at the head table and Nathan was turned talking to Quentin, but every minute or two he would glance over at her and smile and each time, her heart picked up the pace. He'd grin or wink and she'd be thrown back into remembering the many kisses they'd had throughout the day, each one different and yet all of them amazing.

It came as a surprise to her that they were as good as they were. They'd kissed a few times during their engagement and she'd been floored by each one, but she'd been unaware of how he was holding back, how he was hesitating. Now, though he was still restraining himself, that hesitation was gone and in its place was a passion and tenderness that she hadn't even known was possible. It was a feeling that she wished she could bottle up to remember forever, one that people worldwide would pay thousands of dollars for just a moment of its glory. He turned again as though he felt her eyes on him and reached out for her hand, squeezing it briefly before finishing his answer to his friend. What was she getting herself into? She wasn't ready for the pace she felt like the relationship was headed for and yet she wasn't sure she was strong enough to slow it down, not when the feelings coursing through her were screaming to go full speed ahead.

"I saw that frown," Taylor said, having moved into Brooke's chair as her friend danced with her boyfriend. "What are you worrying about now?"

"it feels like everything is going too fast," Haley shook her head, "and I'm enjoying it, I am, but I'm not ready."

"So tell him that," her sister didn't see the problem, "I thought he said you'd go slow?"

"I know, but he keeps kissing me and I like it, but..."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Taylor laughed, "believe me, that's the least of what he wants to do to you..."

"But you...I..." Haley was overwhelmed, "I' not sure I can do this."

"He's not expecting more Haley," her sister reassured her. "He knows you aren't ready, he's just enjoying himself and celebrating, you should too. There'll be plenty of time for worrying later."

* * *

Nathan walked over and retrieved his mother from where she'd been in a conversation with Haley's mother and Karen. Taking her onto the dance floor, he felt pangs of guilt that he'd been so caught up in his problems that he'd completely forgotten what it must be like to be around his father and the woman he'd abandoned her for.

"I'm sorry," he told her as the song began, "I intended to run interference and I got caught up in everything..."

Deb shook her head and stopped his apology, "you seem to forget who the adult is here," she teased. "I'm a big girl and it has been fine. Karen seems very nice and I got to meet your uncle as well. They've all made us feel welcome and Coop is talking to Keith right now," she gestured across the room, "Haley's parents are wonderful as well. I understand why you like them so much."

Nathan nodded, "They're great. How are things with you? Patrick isn't here..."

"We're taking it slow at the moment," she hesitated as he spun her around, "I hurt him and it's not going to be an immediate fix, but we're working on it. Still, he wanted to come, but one of his cases had an emergency and with the state you were in early this morning, I told him to stay and help. Speaking of that phone call, how are you two?"

"We're working on it," Nathan echoed her statement, "I think we're going to be okay, but it's not going to be easy. On one hand we're trying to take it slow and on the other, we're still playing a bit of a charade as the happy newlyweds when we're in public. It's damn confusing."

"We'll figure it out and so will you, it just takes time," Deb promised. "You're lucky to have met her. I couldn't have chosen someone better for you myself. She's everything I hoped you'd find someday, although I have to point out that I'm way too young to be a grandma anytime soon."

"Don't worry about that," Nathan's eyes opened wide, "we aren't...I mean, we haven't..."

Deb laughed at his discomfort. It was still amusing to her how certain subjects turned her big strong son into a nervous little boy around her, "you're married now and if the way the two of you look at each other is any indication, it won't be long before you are. Just be careful. You two have enough obstacles ahead of you without adding a baby to the mix."

* * *

Nathan made his way to where his uncles were getting to know one another, bringing his mother to her brother's side and grabbing a drink. He'd danced enough in the warm fall afternoon to parch his throat.

"I still can't believe my grubby little nephew is married," Cooper laughed, "although I have to say I wasn't that surprised after the way you talked about that pretty gal. She really did a number on you."

"I think the feeling is mutual," Keith chimed in. "She's really come out of her shell and blossomed since this one came here. I think it's great that they found each other. Not everyone is so lucky."

"Is that why you're still single?" Coop asked the older man. "I tried once and failed miserably and now I'm admittedly gun-shy, but I'm sure a good looking guy like you with a good business and family must get lots of attention. I can't believe you've never met anyone you could settle down with."

"I did once, a long time ago, but it didn't work out," Keith shrugged. "I haven't met anyone since that I could see being my forever. Besides, I'm happy with the life I have."

"He's been really helpful at the dealership," Nathan told them, happy to change the subject. "It's been a lot to learn, but he seems to know that place inside and out."

"Well I've spent enough hours there," he laughed before turning to Deb and explaining, "I mainly work with the garage portion, but Dan has been pretty busy so I've been stepping in some and helping Nate out. I've really enjoyed getting to know him."

"He has lots of stories," Nathan told them, "it's really strange thinking of Dan as a kid, or even a teenager. He's so imposing it seems like he must've always been that way, but it's nice to be reminded that he's human and had to grow up like everyone else."

"How's it going with you two?" Cooper asked. The last time they'd gotten to really talk, it had still sounded pretty tense.

"It's getting better," Nathan took a sip of his drink as he decided what to say, "I still can't say I'm exactly comfortable around him, but I'm starting to know and understand him a little better. It's definitely better than it was."

"Hey," Keith raised his glass, "I'm not always comfortable with him either and I've known him since I was 4."

Karen stopped by and said hello, causing Nathan to tense, "I don't know why you dislike her so much honey," Deb said. "You know it's not her fault. If anything, she has a right to be mad at me since she met him first."

"It's not that," Nathan tried to shake it off, "she said some things that really got to me and add in that she's probably the one that stole the letters..."

"You don't know that," Deb argued. "Maybe no one did it...maybe they got lost in the mail or thrown away by accident. We'll never know and I for one am past worrying about it. It was a long time ago. We have to leave it in the past and move on Nate."

"Maybe it's easier for you because it was so long ago, but it's still recent for me," he argued. "I went almost 17 years without a father and it could've been prevented. I can't just forget that."

"We've been through this," Deb sighed, "I could've done more and I didn't. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

Nathan shook his head, "I don't trust her."

Deb reached up and touched his face, "You need to get past it, for all of us. Now go find your wife, it's your wedding day and you shouldn't be spending it over here with us old folk talking about regrets of the past. Go enjoy yourself. If you're lucky, you'll only have this kind of day once and arguments are not what you want to remember about it."

* * *

"Hey beautiful," he put his hands on his bride's waist. Leaning down and kissing her temple, he added, "You about ready to get out of here? I think it's time for us to go."

Haley swallowed nervously and nodded, stepping forward to give her mother and sisters hugs, "I'll talk to all of you tomorrow."

The ladies all gave Nathan hugs as well, Quinn and Taylor each taking a moment to threaten him if he hurt their sister, "I won't," he promised.

Luke arrived and gave Haley a hug before nodding at his brother, "take care of her."

"I will," Nathan assured him, gently pulling her to his side, "This isn't a game, I swear. I'm going to do everything I can to make her happy."

"I believe you," Lucas reached out and shook his hand, "Have you said your other goodbyes yet?"

Nathan nodded, "Except for my mom."

Lucas frowned, "She left a while ago. Something about not feeling well and needing to rest. My mom took her back to her hotel."

Nathan's eyes narrowed, he knew she often had spells of weakness, but it still wasn't like her to leave without saying goodbye. He'd have to call and check in on her. "I guess we can go then."

They walked out through a crowd throwing rose petals and into Nathan's mustang, choosing not to go the limo route when they were just going back to their apartment. "Can you give my mom a call?" he asked when they were on the road, "I want to make sure she's okay."

She picked up his cell phone and dialed his first contact, letting the phone ring until the voice mail came on, "This is Haley," she said, worriedly looking over at Nathan, "Please call us when you get this. We want to make sure you're feeling okay."

"It's not like her to miss a call," Nathan tapped his fingers on the wheel in agitation. "She always keeps it right with her."

"Maybe she's sleeping and she turned it off, or maybe she's in the bathroom," Haley reasoned, "it's probably nothing."

Nathan shook his head, "I just can't shake the feeling something's wrong. Can we go over there?"

Haley nodded and he turned the car around in the next parking lot, heading back toward her hotel. "I'll feel a lot better being able to see she's okay," he told her as he got out. "I'll be back in a couple minutes."

He shut the door behind him and entered the building, leaving Haley to wait in the car. She sat there for almost ten minutes before she got impatient and decided to go in, he wasn't the only one worried about the older woman.

Getting out of the car, she was startled when an ambulance came roaring in the lot with its lights flashing, the tell-tale sound chilling her to the bone. A feeling of dread washed over her as she watched them pull out a stretcher and head into the building and she found herself following them to the second floor where she discovered what she'd suspected she would, her husband with his head in his hands as they loaded his mother onto the stretcher.

She rushed into the room and wrapped her arms around his waist, unmindful of the odd looks they were getting in their wedding finery. She felt him shaking and held tightly, as if she could will things to be okay. He held her back, leaning down to bury his head in her shoulder as he fought tears, "she wouldn't wake up. I got here and she was in bed, but pale and sweaty. I tried to wake her up and she wouldn't respond. I didn't know what to do..."

"Shhhh...you did the right thing," Haley told him, rubbing the hair back from his forehead in a soothing motion, "they're going to help her."

"I was so scared," he whispered, his voice rough, "I thought she might be..."

"She's not," Haley stopped him, bringing his eyes back to her face, "Everything will be okay, she's in good hands. Let's follow them to the hospital."

They arrived only moments after she was brought in and sent to the waiting area where they sat on one of the couches, Haley rubbing his back and trying to keep him calm, "I should've kept an eye on her," he fretted, "I knew this would be a lot for her to handle and she's still weak..."

"You couldn't have known she'd get sick," Haley felt helpless as she watched him in pain, "you can't blame yourself."

Nathan heard her, but couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault. "Not exactly how you thought you'd spend your wedding night, huh?"

She shrugged, "nothing about our marriage has been what I expected. Why should this be any different?"

He gave her a half smile and they sat in quiet for a few minutes before Quentin and Cooper arrived and sat with them. They explained the situation and Nathan started to pace, unable to sit still any longer. "I don't understand she could just leave her there," he shook his head. "If she was that sick, someone should've done something or at least stayed with her. If I hadn't gone to check, she could've died."

"You don't know that," Quentin argued, "maybe she was fine when she dropped her off..."

"And she got that bad in less than an hour?" Nathan turned on him, "I really doubt it. Karen just left her there. I've never trusted her..."

"That's a big accusation," Cooper stood up, "you have no idea what really happened. Your mother isn't above being stubborn you know."

"Well it's not like she hasn't hurt her before," Nathan threw out as Haley tried to step in the middle and calm him down, "I wish she would just admit that she's the one that kept Dan out of my life. Maybe I could forgive her if she just stopped lying."

"Okay, I've had enough of that," a voice from behind them said, "You need to grow up and stop blaming people without any proof."

Nathan turned around and narrowed his eyes, "and who else could it have been, hmm?"

"It was me okay?" the newcomer said, "I did it. I burned the letters."


	39. Chapter 39

Nathan's face went from an expression of frustration to confusion and then to anger as he stepped forward and hit the man in front of him square in the jaw, knocking him backwards.

"How dare you," he shouted at the fallen man, his fists up and ready for another round. "How could you do that to us?"

His rage was palpable, drawing the looks of everyone else in the room and causing them to take involuntary steps back. His friend and uncle jumped in to restrain him as he lunged toward the confessor who had started to move, his muscles rippling in the fight to break free as his anger overtook his reason. "I should kill you right now."

Keith stood and wiped the blood off his lip, "I'm sorry. I never read them, all I knew was that they were letters from someone my brother had hooked up with while he was away, someone he never should've touched."

Nathan tried again to get loose, causing Haley to step in and try and help, "That wasn't your choice to make."

"Maybe not, but someone had to protect Karen. God knows my brother wasn't doing a good job of it. I couldn't let her be hurt again," Keith explained, shaking his head at the their lack of understanding. "I swear I didn't know you existed and I didn't think I was hurting anyone."

"You didn't think you were hurting anyone?" Cooper was angry as well. "You didn't see what my sister went through, how hard it was on both of them. They needed help and you decided to play god. You didn't even take one moment to consider she might've had a good reason for contacting him."

"I did what I felt I had to," Keith defended himself. He knew they were all upset, but he'd honestly felt like it was the only thing to do at the time. "Karen had already been hurt enough, I loved her too much to allow it to continue."

"My wife has never been your responsibility," Dan had just entered the room and was floored by what he'd heard. His brother was the cause of so much pain? He wondered if the feelings he'd felt were in the past or if he still felt them. Did his brother covet his wife?

"I had to protect our family," Keith was getting angry as well, years of frustration spilling out, "You weren't."

"Our family? I missed years with my son, years I can't get back...I even doubted my own wife because you let everyone believe she'd betrayed me, when it was you hiding things all along," he turned from his brother in disgust. "I can't even look at you."

"You can't look at me?" Keith shook his head, "you're the one that almost tore your family apart. If you could've kept it in your pants instead of knocking another girl up, we wouldn't be having this argument right now. Don't blame me for trying to fix your mistakes."

Dan turned and leapt forward before gripping his brother by the shirt ,"My mistakes? You almost ruined 2 lives because of your love for MY wife!"

He shoved him away, sending him sprawling. He fell into a nearby chair before tipping over onto the ground. He stood and started to charge his brother before Karen stepped in front of her husband. "Stop," she yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Everyone just quit fighting." She looked around the room, now empty of all the occupants not with their family. Haley had her arms around Nathan's waist in an attempt to calm him down, Cooper and Quentin were standing with their arms crossed in obvious anger, Lucas looked stunned and her husband and this brother were ready to kill each other.

"This isn't the time or the place for this and we're family damn it, act like it." She turned to Keith and she could see he was pleading for her forgiveness with his eyes.

"Karen, I didn't..."

She shook her head, needing time to process everything that had been said."I think you should leave. Dan and Nathan need to concentrate on Deb and I'm..." she looked back at her husband, "I can't do this right now. Please go." She waited for his grumbled assent and then took a few steps backward, grabbing her husband by the arm and guiding him to the other side of the room.

Dan was wound as tight as a bowstring when they sat and she carefully laid her hand on his chest in an effort to soothe him, "I understand your anger," she told him, "but this is not the way to act. Your son needs you to be calm."

"Calm?" Dan looked at her in disbelief. "My 17 year old son got married today, his mother was rushed to the ER, and my brother just admitted he's been lying to us for years. How do you expect me to be calm?"

"I'm upset too, believe me," she reached for his hand, "but look at your sons, you need to find your composure for their sake."

He sighed and then took several deep breaths to slow his racing heart, watching the back of his brother disappear from view before looking at what remained of his family, "I just can't believe it. I always knew he liked you, but he was my brother...I trusted him. I never thought he would do something like this."

She was thrown off by his apparent regard for her as well. She'd only ever seen him as a friend and then a brother in law, clearly not realizing his affections must've run much deeper. Now, looking back, she realized how naive she'd been. There had been signs all along, ones she'd completely missed, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. They had more important troubles at the moment.

She looked over at Nathan who had apparently been coaxed to sit as well, his wife pressed up against his side. She had a calming hand on his chest and was whispering to him as his friend and uncle stood nearby. She was glad to see he was taken care of, knowing how difficult all of this must be for him, but also knew their troubles were far from over. this wasn't something to be easily forgiven or forgotten.

Across the room, the young couple clung to each other, "It doesn't change anything," Haley tried to reason with her husband. "It doesn't matter who did it, you didn't let it beat you then, don't let it now. Your mom is who we need to focus on."

Nathan knew that was true, but his mind still raced with the news and he fought to keep a leash on his temper. The events of the last 24 hours had been a series of ups and downs he was having trouble coping with. "I know you're right, I do, but it doesn't make it hurt any less," he shook himself and closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry you've been dragged into all this mess with my family. Apparently it's even more dysfunctional than I thought."

"Hey, I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into," she reached for his hand and pointed to the ring there, "and it's OUR family now. I chose this and I'm right where I want to be."

He nodded and entwined their hands, kissing her forehead before pulling her back against him, "I really needed to hear you say that, to know that at least one thing is going right. The rest is such a mess."

Haley's heart hurt for him as she watched him struggle with the new revelations, "We need to stay strong."

He looked at her then, his blue eyes weary and full of tears he refused to shed, "I'm tired of being strong."

A nurse came over just then and caught Haley's eyes, waiting for permission to interrupt, "Mr. Scott," she awkwardly said when she received a nod in response. She'd witnessed the confrontations minutes earlier and yet the young man before her looked sad now instead of angry. She felt her heart well up with sympathy for the young couple who had obviously come from their wedding and was glad to give them a small bit of good news, "your mother is awake and she'd like to see you."

* * *

Nathan looked at the clock on the wall and shifted his body, causing the sleeping Haley to stir against him, "You should head home," he brushed the hair out of her face. "It's getting late and I doubt she'll wake up again tonight."

She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock, noting it was almost midnight. "You should come too. They said she was out of danger."

"I can't," he shook his head, "for some reason I feel like I need to be here, even if it's just to watch her sleep." He ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair, "I've never been as scared in my life as when I walked in and found her. She's been sick for a long time now, but it's never seemed as real as it did in that moment. I don't know how I would handle it if she hadn't made it."

Haley wrapped her arms around him, "She's going to be okay. I really believe that," she kissed him on the cheek and then stood stretched her back out. She was glad she'd left a bag of her clothes in Nathan's car and changed because things would've been a lot worse if she'd still been in her dress. Leaning against his shoulder had felt comfortable enough when she'd rested that way, but after over an hour had put her body in all sorts of discomfort. She looked back at the sleeping woman on the bed. "She'll be up and about in no time."

"This time," Nathan agreed, wiping his suspiciously moist eyes of the tears that kept threatening, "but you heard the doctor. Her immune system is seriously damaged from all her treatments. Next time it might be something worse and I'll be 5 hours away. What if there's no one there to help her?"

He looked at her as though she had all the answers, but she didn't know what to say. Even if he moved back home, he couldn't be with her all the time . "Maybe you should talk to Patrick?"

Nathan nodded absentmindedly, "If they're not really together though..."

"He still loves her," Haley sat down next him and squeezed his hand. "No matter what state their relationship is in, I'm sure that hasn't changed. You aren't alone in this."

He took a deep breath and let it out, "I'm sorry I keep dumping on you..."

"Would you please stop apologizing for things you have no control over?" she nudged him in the shoulder. "You're trying to be a good son. I'll never hold that against you. In fact, that makes me damn proud."

He nodded but still didn't look convinced, "You should probably go. You have to work tomorrow...I guess today."

Haley knew that was true, but she didn't want to leave him there in the state he was in. Besides, the last time she'd walked into that apartment, she'd seen Tiffany in just his shirt. It was going to be hard enough to walk back in there and not get upset, she wasn't ready to do it alone. Her stomach threatened to rebel just thinking about it and she realized it wasn't going to be as easy to forget as she'd hoped, despite her strong feelings for her husband, "I'd rather stay with you, but it would be nice if we could find a more comfortable way to rest."

Nathan nodded and released his breath. He hadn't even realized how much he wanted her to stay until she'd made the decision, "I think that could be arranged."

He leaned the double chair back into a reclining position and Haley took the opportunity to scoot beside him so she was laying against his chest. He grabbed an extra blanket from the stack the nurse had left and draped it over them before kissing her on the head. She snuggled in closer and he felt her fall asleep before he let himself relax and drift off with a smile, his last thought that despite all the problems they'd faced in the last 24 hours, he got to sleep with his wife in his arms after all.

break

"Who is the parent here?" Deb was feeling much better when morning rolled around, but wished she was a full strength so she could strangle her son. "I love that you care so much, but these decisions belong to me and me alone. I'm not going to let you make me a prisoner. "

Nathan threw his hands into the air, "I just want to make sure you're taken care of. Why can't you just accept that?"

"You're trying to control something that isn't controllable," she told him, reaching out her hand toward him and patting the bed next to her hip. She waited for him to sit there and looked into his blue eyes, way too weary for his age. She wished she could wave a wand and make everything better, but if there was one thing she'd learned, it was that magic only existed in fairytales. Instead, she had to be realistic and help him accept what they both knew to be true "If it's really my time to go, no amount of babysitters you arrange are going to stop it."

"I don't want you to go," he took her hand in his, unable to ignore how much more fragile it was than only a year ago. "I can't get the sight of you laying there out of my mind. I even saw it in my sleep."

She shook her head in dismay, "Life is fragile and I can't promise you anything other than to take care of myself and be careful. You need to promise me the same," he nodded, "and take care of your wife too. Don't ever take one minute you have with her for granted."

The door opened and Haley walked in, followed by Cooper and the doctor. "Good, you're all here," he said, gesturing to the group as Haley moved to place her hand on her husband's shoulder, "As you already know, the only thing that can really help at his point is a bone marrow transplant," at their nods he continued, "unfortunately, we've been unable to find a compatible donor. It's a shame none of you were matches."

"We haven't been tested," Nathan gestured to Haley and back to himself. "We're only 17."

"But you said..." he furrowed his brow and they could see him working through what he'd been told, "Aren't you married?"

"I'm emancipated," Nathan explained briefly, "I tried to get tested months ago, but the doctors refused because of my age. They said they won't even take a sample until I'm 18."

The doctor nodded in understanding, "Legally there isn't much we can do until you're of age and can legally consent for yourself. This is a voluntary procedure and therefore one time that a parent can't do that for you..."

Nathan started to say something and the doctor held up his hand, "however," he continued, "the legalities with you being emancipated, and married at that, might be different. I'm not a lawyer, but you might want to consult with one to see if your status can allow you to get around the age requirement. After all, you can legally make other decisions for yourself..."

Nathan was speechless for a moment as the man turned and spoke to his mother for a few minutes, "I don't...I..." he stuttered, reaching for Haley and pulling her close. He took a few deep breaths and then met her eyes, "do you think it'll work?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, hating the unbridled hope in his eyes when it might just be a pipedream, "but even if it does, it doesn't mean you'll be a match. Cooper isn't and he shares more genes with her."

Nathan's smile dimmed at that reminder, but he shook off the thought and it returned, "I will be. I just know it."

Haley wasn't as sure and she was concerned he was setting himself up for another heartache. "Let's take it one step at a time and talk to Patrick before you get too excited." He nodded but she could tell he wasn't listening. He'd already decided it was a reason to celebrate. "I thought I'd have to wait almost a year to be able to help, but this could fix everything."

Haley met her mother-in-law's eyes and saw that she had the same fears, "Nate honey," she began, "the odds..."

"Yes," the doctor said, "unlike with blood types, it isn't uncommon for family members to be completely incompatible."

"I know what the odds are," he told all of them, "but I have a feeling that things are finally going to go our way for once."

* * *

Deb had finally convinced them to leave after her brother had promised he wouldn't leave her side and they'd made it home before trudging up the stairs to the apartment. "I just want to sleep all day," Haley yawned as Nathan unlocked the door. "I'm so..." she squealed the last word as he lifted her in the air, "you're going to drop me!"

"Are you kidding? You don't weigh anything," he laughed and pushed the door open. "Even half asleep it's a piece of cake."

"Speaking of cake," Haley grinned, "I wonder if Luke remembered..." her voice trailed off as he set her down and she looked around, "When did you..."

"Q helped me this morning," Nathan set her bag down on a chair, "I figured we didn't have a normal courtship or anything, but you still deserved something special."

She walked over and smelled the bouquet of roses before looking at the other flowers, "they're beautiful. Thank you."

She turned to find him standing behind her and looked up into his blue eyes before forcing herself to swallow. The look in her eyes made it pretty clear what he was thinking about, especially when that gaze dropped to her lips. She licked them as they suddenly felt chapped, "I...um, I need to take a shower."

His eyes dialated further at that mention and she felt her resolve crumbling as he started to lean closer, mabye it wouldn't be such a mistake to...her eyes caught the sight of his sweatshirt, laying on the back of the couch where aparently the slut had left it and her resolve returned. She couldn't let herself just fall into his arms as if nothing had happened. With that reminder, she took a step back and turned away, grabbing her bag and scurrying out of the room.

She stepped into the shower and turned on the water. They kissed several times at the wedding and reception and she'd enjoyed every one, but there was a safety net of sorts with all the people around. Now that they were alone, she had to be more careful. She wasn't ready for what marriage typically entailed, no matter what her hormones said, and she wasn't going to get there until she felt like she could trust him again. Sighing, she turned the water to hot and smiled as she remembered the surprise he'd set up for her. If he kept doing things like that, she hoped her emotions hurried up or they were going to be two awfully frustrated people.

* * *

Haley woke to the smell of bacon later that morning and groaned. She was still exhausted and the thought of going back to sleep was tempting, but her stomach protested by growling and forced her out of bed. "Hey," she walked into the kitchen as she fixed her hair into a sloppy bun, "smells good."

"I was starving," he pulled out two plates and started to dish up the food, "we never really ate supper last night."

She nodded and accepted the food he offered, "have you checked on her?"

He nodded and sat next to her to eat, "She was sleeping, but Coop said she was doing well. She'll probably be released this afternoon. I spoke to Patrick too. He wasn't sure it was possilble to get anything done quickly, but said he'd look into it."

Haley took a sip of her juice and they ate quietly for a few minutes before she decided to mention the elephant in the room, "Are we going to talk about it?"

Nathan went stood and put his plate in the sink, "talk about what?"

"You know what," she frowned at him, "you put it off yesterday, but I know it must've hurt when..."

"When what?" Nathan snapped, "When my uncle admitted he'd tried to ruin my life? You want to talk about it? Let's talk about when I found out someone I share blood with, was the one who screwed me over? When I realized I'd been an ass to Karen for no reason?"

"She wasn't innocent," Haley reminded him.

"Of this she was. I have one uncle who tried to keep me from knowing my father and another who is trying make sure I don't get the money to save his own niece," his chest was heaving, "my father abandoned us, my mother lied to me most of my life, and my only brother hates me. Gem of a family you married into Hales."

"I know it isn't perfect," she tried to reach out to him.

He laughed harshly before his shoulders slumped, "I'm just tired of it," the air seemed to go out of him and he sat back down in resignation. He paused for a moment and leaned into her touch. "I trusted him, ya know? Dan has been difficult and I've tried to avoid Karen the most part, but I trusted Keith. He's been great through all of this and I really enjoyed working with him at the dealership. I even had the thought that I wished he'd been my dad. I'm such a sucker."

"It's not being a sucker to care about people," Haley hated the look of defeat in his eyes, "I know it can bring pain, but it brings so much joy too."

He gave her a half smile that made her heart turn over, "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but you're the only reason I'm able to stay sane through all of this."

He yawned and his eyes drifted half closed, "Why don't you go ahead and take a nap," she urged him, "You look like you're still beat. I'll unpack and clean up a little while you take the bed."

It was a sure sign of his exhaustion that he didn't argue and trudged to the bedroom as she surveyed the living area. She had a few more bags to empty and dishes to do, but the first thing she did was walk over into the living room and pick up the sweatshirt. The first order of business was to get rid of the offending garment the tramp had tarnished. She walked over to the trash and threw it inside. She never wanted to see it again as long as she lived.

* * *

Nathan woke panic to find Haley sitting beside him and wiping his sweaty brow, "it's okay, it's just a dream..." she murmured over and over again, comforting him like a small child. "I'm here, everything is okay..."

He shook his head, trying to clear it of the sleep that still held him partly under control, the tremors of his body finally starting to subside at her soothing. He ran his hands down his face and then made a move to sit up, the blanket falling down to his waist and bringing his shirtless state to her attention. She fought to keep her eyes on his face, not willing to let them drift to the other places his sweat soaked skin evoked.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked when his breathing had returned to almost normal. "You were shouting..."

"I don't remember all if it," he debated with himself for a few minutes before answering. He didn't want to seem weak or to burden her more than he already had, but he'd promised to be honest and not keep things from her. "

"It might help to talk about it," she nudged him gently, "it must've been something pretty intense."

He spoke hesitantly, "I was sitting in a chair, but I could barely stay awake and Tiffany was there holding a knife. I couldn't move or speak and the harder I tried, the more frustrated I got. She was laughing and then somehow we were in the hotel room and my mom was lying there on the bed, sick and trembling, but I still couldn't move and then she was standing over my mom with the knife and there was nothing I could do..." he tried to remember more, he knew there were other parts, scarier even, but he couldn't grasp the memories at the moment, probably a good thing.

Haley found herself feeling sorry for him and had to push the thoughts away, not only because she knew he would hate them, but because she needed to protect herself too. She couldn't let herself forget so easily that it had been his decision to bring the girl back to their place and to let her hurt them. Still, she knew all the stress he was under had to be weighing heavily on him and wished there was something more she could do to help him bear it. She looked at the clock and saw it was still only 11 and she didn't have to be at work until 1. Before she could stop herself, she climbed up into the bed and guided his head to lay in her lap. "Try and rest. I'll keep you safe."


	40. Chapter 40

I am so sorry about the wait for this chapter. I never intended for it to take this long, but I have had no time to write. In August, I went back to working in a school for the first time since my daughter was born. I knew it was going to be a challenge for me (I suffer from a panic disorder) and give me less free time, but it was only supposed to be two days a week and I adjusted pretty well (although I admit chapters took longer to write). I have been instead of the two days, been working 3 (still manageable mostly) and in the last couple of weeks, I have been promoted (hopefully temporarily) to full time and teaching three classes (so add in lesson plans and grading) instead of just tutoring and learning center monitor. It's been a huge adjustment that I'm struggling with a bit and on top of that, I've had bronchitis. I am more glad than ever for this Thanksgiving break and hope I can get things back closer to normal soon. Thank you for your patience, you are all wonderful and I greatly appreciate every review and message I receive. I swear, I will finish this story and hope you have a happy holiday.

 **Ch 40**

The next week flew by with school and the basketball season kicking into high gear. Between practices, games, and homework in the afternoon and evenings, the newlyweds barely saw each other more than to say goodnight and retreat to their respective beds. It felt like they were truly the roommates Nathan had had initially proposed and he found that he hated it. He was getting grouchier by the day, but wasn't sure how to fix the fragile threads that had apparently been torn.

After another long practice, he came and took a steaming hot shower, his mind and body both drained from the difficult week. The team had finally won the previous game, but they still hadn't played the way they wanted to and he was frustrated that he couldn't seem to find the rhythm with these teammates he'd had with his previous ones. On top of that, Whitey had ran them harder than normal, claiming they were being lazy on the court. As a result, his muscles hurt and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed, but he knew he couldn't; he still had things to do.

He came out of the bathroom, surprised to find his wife in the kitchen cooking something that smelled delicious. He'd been so caught up in his own head that he'd neglected to tell her they'd been invited to the Scott's for dinner. Truth was, he wasn't looking forward to being in the same room as his uncle and he wasn't sure he'd be able to be calm and mature, much as he wanted to. He was still angry and his emotions bubbled every time he thought about it, so he was pretty sure it would end up devolving into another display that he wasn't proud of. Because of this, he still hadn't decided if he was going to take his wife along or not. He knew he'd feel a lot stronger and steadier with her by his side, but at the same time, he didn't want to lean on her anymore than he had to. He was still embarrassed that he had broken down the way he had not long ago and he wasn't sure his pride could withstand being in that position again.

Haley similarly had pulled back, in her case to protect herself, and although he hadn't realized why she was doing it, he'd felt the effects and it made him even more determined to be strong. It was enough that Haley had to help him deal with his mess of a family, which it was obvious to him she was regretting, but staying with him and calming his nightmares like a small child was too much. She must think he was downright pathetic. How could he expect her to love and trust him when he couldn't even take care of himself?

"Hey," she smiled hesitantly, unaware of the thoughts that had been running through his head as he towel dried his hair. "I got Bella to switch shifts with me... I thought we could spend some time together."

Nathan recognized the olive branch she was extending and wanted to take her up on it, but wasn't sure how. "I can't," he sighed, wincing when her face fell, "it's not that I don't want to," he quickly added, mentally kicking himself, he'd just been lamenting the distance between them, "I...um, actually we are supposed to go to dinner at my...Dan's."

Haley tilted her head to the side at his nervous ramble, "and you're just telling me now?"

He almost snapped back at her, his temper on a short leash, but instead shrugged in a show of feigned indifference, "I didn't know if you'd want to go."

Haley placed her hands on the counter in front of her and looked at him for a moment, her eyes wide. He thought he saw tears forming as she shook her head, "You don't want me to come is more like it."

Nathan couldn't bear the look on her face and crossed the room, wanting to pull her against his chest, but unable to take the final step, "that's not it," he told her when she moved the last few feet and melted into him, "I don't want to hurt you, it's just...I feel like I've been leaning on you too much and you deserve better than that."

She leaned back so she could look up at him, "so you shut me out? How is that better?"

"I hate being so weak," he finally whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear. "I can tell it disgusts you."

"Where did you get that idea? You're one of the strongest people I know," she told him, reaching up to place her hand on his cheek. How had they let it devolve so far so fast when they'd finally come to what she'd thought was an understanding, "A few tears after everything you've been through won't change that."

He started to counter and she held her finger to his lips, "in fact, I felt special that you trusted me enough to be there for you. For better or worse, remember?"

Nathan felt the tension leave his body and a half smile made its way onto his face. This was one of the reasons he loved her so much, "we never actually said that you know..."

She shrugged and waved his words away, "it was implied."

He nodded and pulled her close again, resting his chin on her head, "so this thing tonight...you want to come? I can pretty much promise it'll be a nightmare. It's dangerous just with Dan."

"If you're inviting me then of course, I wouldn't be anywhere else," she smiled against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his post shower body. He smelled good and she had to remind herself that this wasn't the time to be going mushy over the muscles she felt against her cheek. She had missed being so close to him.

"Then I'm inviting you," his face turned into a full grin and she felt her stomach flip. He was so gorgeous.

"Then I'll be there," she smiled in return, feeling like her world was snapping back into place. "See, that wasn't so hard..."

"I'm sorry about shutting you out..." he apologized, "it's just..."

"It's okay," she stopped him, reluctantly stepping back, "We've both got things we need to work out, but we have to communicate and do it together from now on. We can't build trust if we don't."

* * *

"Keith's been her best friend for as long as she can remember," Lucas was finishing, "she's having trouble understanding how she could be so wrong about him."

Haley looked over at her husband and knew her words weren't likely to make him happy, but she felt they needed to be said, "I really don't think he meant for anyone to get hurt. He was trying to protect her. It's kind of romantic if you..."

"She was already married!" Lucas argued, "he should've stayed away."

"You can't help who you fall in love with," Haley countered. "He put his own feelings aside and became a good brother-in-law and uncle. What more could you ask for?"

The brothers stared back at her like she'd grown a second head and she despite the circumstances she almost giggled at the identical looks on their faces, "He had no right to keep those letters from his brother," Nathan reminded her.

"He made a bad choice," Haley placed her hand on her husband's arm, "one I'm sure he regretted as soon as he realized what that letter contained."

"So we're just supposed to forget that he lied to us all these years?" Lucas asked incredulously.

"What did he lie about? Loving you? Being there for you? Helping his brother grow a great business?" Haley shook her head. "I don't want you to throw away all the good things...everything you know to be true about him...because he made one mistake."

"That's like the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?" Lucas raised an eyebrow and then looked over at his brother. "I would say this was a little worse than riling up your jealousy and you're holding onto that...he wanted his own brother's wife..."

"That's not the same," Haley defended herself, surprised to see her friend taking his brother's side. She'd known they were getting along better, but it still felt strange, "we're not talking about..."

"Just stop!" Nathan cut them off. "I screwed up," he looked at Haley for a moment, "but that's not the issue right now. The issue is what our uncle did to this family and I think...I can't believe I'm saying this, but I need to hear his side. I need to know if he's sorry..." his voice trailed off a bit. "I don't want to carry this feeling...this weight around with me forever. I've let it consume me for too long already and if I expect forgiveness, maybe I need to be willing to at least consider extending it to someone else."

Lucas didn't look like he was nearly as willing to consider it, but nodded. "I'll guess I'll hear what he has to say."

* * *

"I'm sorry I kept it from all of you," Keith finished his explanation, "and I'm especially sorry for all the pain it caused. I swear, I never would've done it had I known what it was setting in motion."

"You're just saying that because you got caught," Lucas rolled his eyes and Keith felt his begin to water at the sight of the boy he'd always loved like his own openly despising him.

"That it would hurt all of you so much," Keith corrected, "especially you boys. I know you've always wished you had a brother and seeing the two of you now...you deserve to have this and I'm glad you do now..."

"No thanks to you. I can't do this anymore," Lucas stood up and walked out of the room, each of them following him with their eyes as he went.

Nathan felt Haley squeeze his hand and nodded, not sure what to say. Across the room his father stared at the floor, his powerful shoulders slouched forward in pain.

"I don't know where to go from here," Karen finally found her voice when it became clear no one else was going to speak. "I think we all need some more time to...come to grips with things. This isn't something we can just wish away..."

Keith understood and rose to his feet, "I'm leaving for Charleston in the morning. When I come back next week maybe we can...talk again or something."

He looked around the room and didn't receive any confirmation, but no refusals either. He took that as a small victory and started to walk out. "I want you to know, that I am truly sorry and I love all of you. I hope someday, you'll find it in your hearts to forgive me."

* * *

"It could've been a lot worse," Haley said as they returned to their apartment. "I thought all of you handled it really well."

Nathan nodded as he walked over to the sofa and sat down. He'd been quiet all evening, only speaking when spoken to at dinner and excusing them shortly after dessert. "I was so angry and I wanted to punish whoever had done it, but then I found out and...I don't know. I wanted to hurt him the way I hurt, but as he was talking he looked so broken and I realized it didn't matter...no matter what I did to him, it wouldn't change the past."

Haley walked over and sat next to him, pulling her feet up under her, "I know it must be hard for you to accept that." She snuggled into his side, "I'm proud of you," she looked up at him, "and I've been doing some thinking of my own." She paused and took a deep breath, "I hate to admit this, but Lucas was at least partially right earlier. I was hurt when you brought that girl here and I still think that was wrong of you..."

"I'm so sorry Hales. I never meant...I didn't think..."

"I know," she shook her head, "I was already scared of getting my heart broken and I grabbed onto that for an excuse to push you away, but the truth is, I know you and I shouldn't have let one mistake overrule everything else you've shown me."

Nathan's eyes widened in surprise, "so you forgive me?"

She bit her lip and nodded, causing a huge grin to light his previously somber face, "Thank you! I swear you won't regret it," he whispered, leaning down to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. "I've wanted to do that all week," he pulled away for a moment before kissing her again.

She moaned in response, giving as good as she got for several minutes until he started to lean her back against the couch. As her back hit the cushion her head finally overruled her body and she pulled her face away. "I can't..."

"I'm sorry, I got carried away. I just thought..."

"No, it's my fault," she slid out from under him and righted her clothes, surprised to see how much they were in disarray. "I was just as into it as you were, I'm just not ready and I shouldn't have.."

Nathan ran his hands through his short hair, "No. Don't do that. You didn't do anything wrong. I promised you we'd go slow and then at first chance I...I don't want to push you."

"I don't mean to be a tease," she worried her lip with her teeth, "it's not fair to you..."

"No, you're not," he moved to the floor to kneel in front of her. "I want you so bad Hales and that kiss was amazing, but I know how you feel and it's my job to respect that and stop." He reached up and lifted her eyes to meet his, "I swear, I will never try to make you do anything you aren't ready for okay? From now on, it's on your terms, but when the time comes, I'm going to want to be sure, so you're going to have to tell me...and show me."

She swallowed hard and nodded, the love she felt for him rushing through her . She wanted to tackle him and say the words right then and there, but she pulled herself back, knowing it would be a mistake. "Okay," the words barely escaped her lips. "It'll be embarrassing, but think I can do that."

"If you don't want it badly enough to overcome a little embarrassment, then you aren't really ready," he counseled her and reminded himself. "We're not just having a fling here, this is a marriage and we both have to be on the same page if it's going to work. No regrets, remember?"

She nodded but still looked uncertain, "I just don't want...what if you get tired of waiting?"

Nathan sighed, he was exhausted and hadn't imagined having such an emotional conversation so late, "I won't," he assured her, leaning back and flexing his muscles, "besides, who says it'll be a long wait? You know I'm beefy Haley."

She laughed as he'd intended and her heart swelled with gratitude that he'd been brought into her life. "With an ego to match," she parried back before a yawn escaped. "I should probably," she stood and gestured toward the bedroom before giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night."

He joined her on his feet and pulled her into a hug, resting his cheek on her head, "sweet dreams."

She went off to her room and Nathan took a long look bat at the couch before heading for the bathroom. He needed a cold shower before he could join the land of slumber. He figured he might as well get used to it, it would likely be the first of many.

* * *

The next two weeks flew by. Nathan had made an effort to court Haley, taking her on walks, to movies, even a late night picnic at the park after one of their games. Each night, he deposited her at the door to her bedroom with a quick kiss and Haley fell more under his spell each time. He was acting like the boyfriend she'd always dreamed of and she couldn't understand why each night she tossed and turned in her bed, not nearly as happy as she should be.

Waking up in the morning after another restless night, Haley was surprised to find Nathan sitting on the floor talking on the phone. He had his shirt off and with the sweat on his body he'd obviously been interrupted in the middle of his morning workout. He thanked the caller and went back to doing sit-ups, only noticing her arrival in the room when he finished what must've been his last set.

"Morning," he smiled, standing up and stretching his arms over his head. "I thought you were going to stay in bed all day sleepyhead."

She felt her stomach flutter at the sight and swallowed hard, "Um, I haven't been sleeping well and it's been a long week."

"Are you feeling okay?" he noticed her cheeks were flushed and came over, pressing his wrist to her forehead to check for a fever. "You don't feel warm."

"Maybe not to you," she muttered under her breath, "I'm fine. Just needed the extra sleep." She could see he wasn't convinced and decided a change in topic was in order, "So, who was on the phone?"

"It was Patrick," his smile returned. "He thinks he found some precedent and he's writing something up."

Haley was happy for him, but still hesitant to rely on the idea as a solution. "That's good news," she said, finally tearing her eyes from his body and moving into the kitchen. "Do you want some breakfast?"

He shook his head no, "I ate some eggs earlier. I'm getting ready to head out anyway. I'm meeting Luke at the Rivercourt before work."

Haley's eyebrows rose, "That's the third time this week. What's gotten into the two of you?"

"I dunno," he shrugged his shoulders. "We're getting along a lot better. It probably helps that we're finally playing well."

Haley figured that was at least part of it, they'd won the last 4 games in a row and the brothers had dominated the night before, but she knew it had started before that. "I'm glad you know...for both of you. I know how important family is."

They talked for a few minutes, Haley filling him in on what was going on with her family as she sipped her coffee. "I'm going to go to lunch with Brooke before I head to work," she let him know. "We haven't really gotten to spend any time together outside of cheerleading and it's hard to talk much with all the other girls around. I think she's feeling abandoned since you and I have been together so much."

Nathan understood. Quentin had felt the same way at times over the previous months, being so far apart grating on them when they were used to always being so close, "It'll be good to have some girl time," he grabbed his shirt and pulled it on. "I'll stop and pick up a movie and pizza on the way home later, okay?"

"With mushrooms?" she gave him a pouty look.

He rolled his eyes before kissing her on the cheek and then heading for a shower, "with half mushrooms."

* * *

"So, I've been trying to be patient," Brooke slid into the seat next to her friend, both of them on one side of the booth at Karen's, "but I still haven't gotten anything out of you. How are things going?"

Haley looked at her friend in confusion for a moment and the brunette rolled her eyes before wiggling her eyebrows. "Oh, uh," the blonde wasn't sure what to say. "Um...I guess things are going well."

"So is he a stud?" Brooke pushed forward, "I bet he is judging by that blush. I've seen his hands you know..."

Haley's own hands flew to her face, "I wouldn't know actually. I mean we've never..."

Brooke stood, "Are you kidding? What's wrong with him?"

The other patrons turned and looked, causing Haley's embarrassment to rise even further. "Would you shut up?"

Brooke sat down, looking at her friend in concern, "Is there you know..."

"NO," Haley's tone was harsher than she meant it to be, but she couldn't help it at the moment. "Let me explain..."

She filled in her friend on all the details, ones she'd previously kept to herself, "he's doing as I asked, it's just..."

"that now you want more and don't know how to ask," Brooke filled in the rest. "I'm assuming you aren't wanting everything because the answer to that would be obvious."

"Ugh, I feel so stupid," she moaned, "if I'm this frustrated, I can't imagine how he feels and then I feel guilty and..." she gestured as though her head was exploding. "I didn't figure this would be so hard."

"Well, you usually don't get married and move in together before the first date," the brunette pointed out. "It's going to make everything more intense."

"I want to be ready," Haley whined, "I see him and I look into his eyes and I ask myself what I'm waiting for. I already love him and he's been so wonderful. I don't know what's holding me back."

"Maybe you still don't trust him."

Haley frowned at the reminder that Brooke wasn't as enamored with her husband as she was, "I know you don't understand..."

Brooke shrugged, "It's your life...but if it were me...I wouldn't trust anyone that had hurt me like that. I was the one that had to pick you up when you were so devastated."

"I know Lucas burned you badly," Haley refuted, "but what Nathan did was mostly a misunderstanding and I know he's sorry it happened."

"Maybe that's true," Brooke admitted, "but you're the one who's holding back, not me."

"Maybe I'm over thinking it," Haley didn't want to believe that her friend could be right, "or maybe it's just too soon and my hormones are just getting ahead of the rest of me."

"I don't know," Brooke said, "but you better really hope your right about him, because there don't seem to be any shortage of girls willing to take your place in his bed."


	41. Chapter 41

So sorry it's taken so long. I'm going to leave off the long explanations and just say I've had like no free time the last couple of months, but I had the last two days off finally and managed to squeeze in some writing time around all the errands and things that have gone undone as well. So, here you go. Hope you enjoy.

 **41**

Haley couldn't get Brooke's words about other girl's offering him what she was holding back out of her head. Everywhere she looked it seemed like the girls were constantly throwing themselves at him and it was driving her crazy. If she'd thought he got a lot of attention from the opposite sex when he first came to town, that was nothing compared to now that the basketball team was playing well and he was their star. After the last game an entire group had swarmed him while she was still in the locker room and she'd had to chase them away when she came out. If he hadn't looked so annoyed and grateful, she might have been angry that he hadn't done so himself.

If matters could get worse, they were preparing for their annual basketball tournament/cheer competition. Brooke had been working them like slaves to prepare and the boys had been practicing late as well, knowing that there were usually scouts in attendance at the event and that it was important for their record and chances of making the playoffs as well.

"Hey baby," Nathan surprised her from behind, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing her cheek,"penny for your thoughts?"

"They aren't worth that much," she smiled and turned in his arms, "I didn't expect to see you until later."

"I told Luke I needed the night off," he kissed her softly on the lips, "we've barely seen each other all week."

Haley leaned in and enjoyed the feel of him against her before she had to pull away, her hands trailing down his arm reluctantly. "I have to work for another hour," she pouted, gesturing to the full room across the counter, "we've been swamped and this is the first break I've had. Marie called off, so it's mostly just been me out here."

Nathan surveyed the room and saw that almost every table was full and Karen was rushing to clean off a booth that had just been vacated. He had apologized to the woman for his accusations, but still felt guilty that he'd treated her poorly. She had made mistakes as well, but if he hadn't been so sure of her guilt, things might have been better all around. Sighing, he stepped into the kitchen and came back a moment later, wrapping an apron around his waist. "What can I do?"

"Are you sure?" Haley tilted her head to the side, her eyes searching his. "We can handle it."

He nodded, "I know, but you shouldn't have to. Not when I'm here and able to help."

Nathan saw her eyes glance across the room to where Karen was holding the bin on one hip while she scooped up empty cups in the other. He understood her meaning and sighed before nodding. He walked over and took the bin from Karen motioning for her to go help the customers that were just walking in the door, "I got this."

She smiled in relief and started to say something in protest before thinking better of it, instead settling for a simple "Thank you."

The three of them worked together until closing and when the final table was cleared, the teens practically collapsed onto the couch, frazzled from the fast pace of the busy diner.

"I'm glad you came," Haley took off her shoe and started to rub the ball of her foot, looking around at the parts of closing up that was left to be done with a sigh. "We're usually not this busy on a weeknight."

"You work too hard," he told her, reaching for her foot and bringing it to his lap. He gently brushed her hand aside and took over her task, his strong hands kneading the sore appendage. "What time did you go to bed last night? I know it wasn't when I did, because your light was still on at 2."

Haley hesitated, "I had a paper to write and a test to study for."

"Then you should've said something earlier," he frowned, "we didn't have to watch the movie."

"But I wanted to," she knew she was spreading herself thin, but wasn't willing to give up the time with him for any of the other things she needed to do. "Like you said, we've barely seen each other and it was my favorite part of the day."

He figured he should fight her on not taking good care of herself, but admittedly he felt the same way. It seemed worth being tired the next day to spend every extra minute together, but at the same time, the time spent growing closer made it even harder every evening to calmly leave her at her door. He wanted nothing more than to carry her into her room and make love to her, his hands twitching in the fight to keep things from getting out of hand every time they kissed goodnight. He'd keep things restrained, then he'd lie awake, knowing that there was only a thin, unlocked door separating them and he could enter any time. It was an effort that took self-control he wasn't even aware he posessed.

Every time they kissed, he was more aware that her body was ready, her movements less hesitant, her arousal more evident as she pressed against him. He knew it wouldn't take much to work her into a state that had her begging him to give her the pleasure she unknowingly sought, and that innocence was also the reason why he wouldn't let himself do so. It would be her first time and that was too important to her, too precious for her to have even the slightest regrets. He'd told her that she would have to be the one to initiate it, to tell him she was ready, and he was going to stand by that, no matter how many sleepless nights or cold showers it took.

He finished one foot and reached for the other, knowing how sore they probably were. He remembered how his mother always lamented the pain after a long shift, the calluses that formed over time. He must be a masochist because he also enjoyed the added benefit of hearing the noises she made, ones that never failed to turn his mind to other situations that would bring similar noises, not that he needed any help to let his thoughts travel there.

It seemed like that was all he ever thought about any more. It was one of the main reasons why he'd been working out with his brother so often. Yes, it had the benefits of making him a better player and helping him get to know his only sibling, but even more importantly to him, basketball was the only thing able to fully distract him from his libido anymore. It also had the added bonus of taking him to the point of exhaustion where he could more easily control his impulses. It might have been hard on him, but both his marriage and his team were reaping the benefits of the hard work, making it more than worth the effort. He admitted that he was even enjoying the time with the elder Scott boy, their similarities more evident now that they had a common goal and quit fighting each other. He thought he might even continue the workouts after he no longer needed the distraction, after taking a week or two off of course. Once Haley asked him into her bed, it would be a while before he was sated enough to leave it any more often than he absolutely had to.

"I brought you some dessert," Karen surprised them out of their musings as she approached, two plates in her hands. "Thank you so much for helping me tonight."

"That's what I'm here for," Haley smiled, her eyes shifting to her husband to see how he'd handle the situation. He hadn't really talked to Karen much since the revelation and knew he felt awkward.

"It's no big deal," he shrugged, obviously not sure what to say, "I was here anyway."

Karen handed him a piece of apple pie, "Well I appreciate it," she chose to keep things simple. "You two are free to go, I'll finish he last few things and lock up."

"Are you sure? I can stay," Haley offered, "I know you hate doing it alone."

"It's no problem. Dan will be here in a few minutes anyway," she handed Haley her chocolate mousse, "I'll be fine. Of course, he'd love to see you if you feel inclined to stay a little while."

Nathan could feel both of the women's eyes on the top of his head and looked up from his food, "we really should get home," he made excuses, "I have homework still."

Haley doubted that was his reason, but understood that things were still strange between the two men, "I do too," she added, "and we need to pack for the tournament."

Karen sighed, but wasn't going to push it. Things had improved a lot and she knew she needed to be patient with it. "Good luck. I'm sure you'll both do great."

* * *

Haley sat up as the bus stopped at the hotel, surprised to find that despite her planning, she'd ended up sleeping on Nathan's shoulder for most of four hour drive to Charlotte. Apparently she was more tired than she thought. "Sorry," she moved, trying to stretch out her stiff muscles, "I wasn't the best company."

"You needed it," he shrugged, taking the time to loosen up himself. His arm had fallen asleep hours ago, but she'd looked so peaceful he couldn't move her. If she was sleeping like that on the noisy bus, she must have been thoroughly exhausted. "It was even cute how you were snoring..."

"I do not snore," she lightly smacked his arm, laughing as he pretended it hurt.

"You kind of do," Lucas chimed in from the seat behind them, "I'm not sure I'd say it was cute though. More like loud or annoying..."

"Shut up," she turned and really smacked him, drawing a yelp from the blonde.

"Geez Hales," he whined, "I need that arm in a couple hours."

"Then you should be nice to me," she shot back. "I know a lot of worse things about you than your snoring."

"Wow," he frowned at the tiny blonde, "you should go back to sleep. You're mean and grumpy when you get woken up. Nate, you need to get her in a bed."

"Um," Haley blushed as those around turned at the pronouncement, whistling and laughing.

"Too bad coach won't allow you two to share a room," one of them said as they passed, "you'll have to go for a quickie."

"We could probably stall for a few minutes if you want to do it here..."

Haley ducked her head into Nathan's shoulder in embarrassment. She'd been around guys enough to not be surprised by the talk, but she wasn't used to any of it being cast in her direction and it made her uncomfortable, especially since it wasn't true. Nathan rolled his eyes but knew better than to say anything. That would only encourage their joking and what they'd said so far was mild compared to what locker room talk could degenerate to. He ignored it instead, standing and grabbing his bag from the floor in front of him.

"Come on Hales," he reached for her hand and whispered, "don't let them bother you," then started to lead her off the bus, adding more loudly,"let's go get something to eat. I don't know about you but I'm starving."

* * *

After the basketball team won their second game of the day, they all headed back to their rooms only to find that they'd been rearranged and Haley was now staying with her husband, "We knew you guys would want to be in the same room," Bevin told Haley excitedly. "Consider this a wedding gift."

"Um, thanks," Haley looked over at Brooke, biting her lip. She couldn't argue and not look suspicious, "It's really great."

"We even got you a big bed," the girls continued excitedly, oblivious to their teammate's discomfort , "Sarah and Teresa had one in their room, so we put you guys in there. Just don't keep us all up too late," she winked, "the walls are thin and we need our beauty sleep. Now, come on. We're getting the party started now while we wait for the guys to come back."

The rest of the girls bounced off past them, leaving her with Brooke, the only one who would fully understand the hesitation, "Um, you could stay with me... we could tell them all you guys had a fight or something..."

"No," Haley didn't want to do anything that might cause talk about their marriage being anything but normal, or as normal as a teenage marriage could be at least, "there will be a lot of talk if we change things now and we can't afford that. We'll be fine."

"I'm surprised Rachel didn't try to mess it up," Brooke looked back over her shoulder, "she still has eyes for your husband."

Haley straightened, "I'm not worried about her, I'm the one that keep screwing things up."

"Did Nathan say something? Is he pushing you because I can..."

"No," Haley stopped her quickly, "he's been awesome, but I know he's got to be getting frustrated. [Heck], I'm getting annoyed and it's my decision."

A couple was heading toward them and Brooke reached for her friend, leading her into the room she'd been put in, sitting down on the bed and waiting for her friend to do the same. "Maybe you aren't sure about him," she finally said.

"No," Haley was adamant, "I know he's the one for me and I'm head over heels in love with him...I just...I don't know. I guess I always expected it to be this really special wedding night thing and that we'd be older and more...I don't know, settled? I feel like I've known him forever and yet like we just met at the same time," she shook her head, "that sounds even dumber when I say it out loud."

She sighed and let herself fall back against the bed and looked up at the ceiling. "I always expected it to be a bit like a fairy tale and it just doesn't feel real, you know? I guess I don't feel like a wife."

Brooke wasn't sure what to say to that and the conversation lulled for a minute, "Do you think I'm being ridiculous?" Haley eventually said.

Brooke shook her head, "but I also think you're expecting too much. The wedding night ship has sailed and I don't think there's ever going to be an exact moment when you 'feel married'" she used her hands in quotations. "You ARE married and if you're in love and you trust him like you say, then I don't really understand what's stopping you..."

Haley got up and grabbed a bottle of water off the counter, tossing a second one to Brooke and then sitting back down and taking a sip, "What if I suck at it?" she asked suddenly, causing Brooke to choke on the drink she'd just taken.

Brooke started to cough and after a few moments it turned to laughter, "I'm glad you think this is funny..."

"I'm sorry, you surprised me with your choice of words," Brooke wiped at her watering eyes, "It's just... I think you'll be fine. Even I can see the way he looks at you. It's like he's at a buffet and he hasn't eaten all week."

Haley wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, not with her nerves, "What if he compares me to all the others...what if I don't do it right and he changes his mind about us?"

"Okay, you make it sound like he was a gigolo or something. I don't think he's nearly as experienced as you're making him out to be," Brooke tried to calm her, "Besides, I can honestly tell you that having strong feelings for someone makes everything so much better. You're just freaking yourself out for no good reason."

"I can barely even imagine being naked in front of him, much less..." Haley groaned and covered her face with her hands. "I'm such a freak."

"You're not a freak..." Brooke grabbed her by the hands and pulled her up to a seated position. "Let's go to the party and relax...take your mind off it. You're strung so tight right now I think you might pop."

Haley let herself be pulled to the door, "I guess we do have two wins today to celebrate. It's not like we can get in too much trouble right?"

"Right," Brooked nodded, mentally questioning her friend's naiveté. It wasn't like Haley was ever much of a drinker or even partier, but it still amazed her how unaware she sometimes was of what went on when she wasn't around. "It'll be fun...I promise. You'll feel better after a drink."

* * *

Nathan arrived at the party after watching the final game of the night to find his wife dancing with a group of people, many he didn't recognize, in a very un-Haley like fashion, her hips grinding in a way that made his pants suddenly uncomfortable. "What the [heck]?" he asked Lucas who had just arrived at his side.

"Uh," Lucas swallowed shifting his feet nervously, "I would guess she's had a little too much to drink."

"You think?" Nathan asked, the sarcasm clear, "I'm surprised she'd drink at all with the competition in the morning. That's not like her."

Lucas shrugged, "Maybe she got carried away."

Nathan rolled his eyes and made his way over to her, resting his hand on her shoulder from behind and causing her to turn. "Nathan," she squealed, surprising him by jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, "I've been waiting for you."

Nathan nodded, wrapping his arms around her to keep her from falling. "It seems like you've done more than that. How much have you had to drink?" He could smell the alcohol on her breath ."Just a couple glasses of punch," she looked at him quizzically before loudly whispering, "it wasn't very good, but I was so thirsty."

Nathan sighed and set her on the ground, not surprised when she wobbled at bit at first, "I think I should take you back to your room."

"Our room," she tapped his chest with her hand, "we're sharing."

Nathan's eyes narrowed in confusion, "I thought you were with one of the girls."

"Nope," she laughed, "they moved us all around."

"Great", he thought, realizing he shouldn't be surprised something like this had happened. He'd had several people comment to him that it must suck being separated for the night.

"Are you mad?"

"No," he reassured her, seeing the worry in her expression, "It's not a big deal," he put his arm around her waist to steady her, "let's just get you back there and in bed."

"With you," she pointed out, "we have to share."

He groaned but kept moving, "We'll figure it out."

She stumbled a few times and he decided to just carry her the last part of the trip, entering the room and settling her on the bed. "Not exactly how I pictured doing that," he mumbled to himself, helping her take off her hoodie and sliding her under the covers. She curled up into a ball and after taking a quick glance at her still wiggling around, he decided to go take a shower and let her fall asleep before he joined her.

He'd already taken a quick one after the game, but he took the time to let the hot water beat on his sore muscles. Playing two games in one day was always tough, but feeling the pressure of the rest of the team depending on him took a mental toll as well as the physical. Now he had to deal with the emotional toll of sharing a room with his girlfriend/wife for the first time. At least she'd solved half the problem for him by passing out. All he had left to do was convince his own body to do the same.

He turned off the shower and dried with a towel before sliding on a clean pair of boxers. He considered putting on a t-shirt but he wasn't used to wearing one to bed and knew if he did he'd likely get hot. Deciding Haley was already asleep anyway, he padded out of the bathroom in only his shorts, surprised to find that Haley was not only sitting up, but had removed her shirt and jeans as well.

He averted his eyes as she stood up, turning his back, "I'll uh, give you a minute to change."

He felt her arms wrap around his waist from behind and jumped at the contact, "I already did."

He turned and she reached up, grabbing him by the back of his head and pulling him down for a kiss, more aggressive and needy than anything she'd ventured so far, and he gave in, pulling her closer and giving her the kiss she was clearly asking for.

They kissed for what seemed like hours before he felt his back hit the dresser and pulled away for a minute to look down. Her lips were swollen and her face was flushed in what could've been passion, but her eyes...her eyes were definitely glazed over.

"We have to stop," he found himself saying a moment later when she started to trail her hands down his body, "this isn't right."

"It feels right to me," she laughed, spreading her hands over his bare chest.

"You're drunk, he groaned, "You don't know what you're doing."

"Of course I don't, I've never done it before," she pushed him away and stepped back. "Not all of us are willing to sleep with random strangers."

He closed his eyes at the hit, but tried to keep his composure, "This isn't you Hales,"

"Why, because I'm usually a prude? A freak?" she threw her arms wide.

"God no," he took a step forward and reached for her hands, "You're beautiful and amazing..."

"but you don't want me..."

He reached for her hand and pulled it down to the front of his shorts, "this is how much I don't want you," he almost gave in at the feel of her hand on him, wanting so badly to take her up on what she was offering, before pulling her away. "I want you so bad I can barely stand, but not like this..."

"Not like this," she practically purred, spreading her arms wide and showing off her body. He wondered for a moment how she made her voice sound so [dang] sexy and then had to push it away. He couldn't let this happen this way. "Don't you approve?"

"Of course I do, but you've obviously had too much to drink," he forced his eyes away from her. "I don't want you to regret it in the morning."

"Now who's acting like a prude?" she argued, "you didn't seem to mind sleeping with other girls when they were drunk. "

"They weren't virgins," he pointed out.

"So," she angrily reached for her shirt and pulled it back on, "you like girls with experience, huh? Maybe I should go get some. I'm sure there's someone out there willing..."

"[Dang] it," he grabbed her and wrapped her in his arms, "I don't want anyone else and neither do you. This isn't about anyone else or about me not wanting you. I'm trying to do the right thing here. You don't have any idea what you're doing to me..."

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to get drunk. I just didn't want to be scared anymore," she sat down on the bed and tears filled her eyes, "I needed some courage."

He felt like he'd just suffered whiplash at the sudden change in her mood, but collected himself and grabbed a bottle of water. He brought it over to her, getting her to drink some before he sat down next to her, "Why are you scared?"

"I don't want to let you down. I hate not knowing what to do and worrying that you'll compare me to them..." she pulled her knees up to her chest. "I hate that there even is a them and I'm scared if I'm not good at it it'll ruin things between us. Ugh, I sound pathetic..." She rolled over and pulled a blanket over herself, her emotions bubbling over as she shook with quiet sobs.

Nathan took a deep breath and rubbed circles on her back as he considered what he could even say to that, her obvious pain making his chest constrict. "I'm sorry," he whispered eventually, continuing when he felt her crying subside, "but you should know that there is no comparison. I want you so much it's killing me to even say this. Those other girls you're so worried about, I wasn't married to them, I didn't love them. I love you and it's because of that I'm trying to put a halt on things. Because this is too important to let myself screw it up for you, for either of us."

She didn't answer and he gently touched her shoulder. She released a little snore and he half laughed before shaking his head. They had a hotel room to themselves and he finally said the words, only to have her drunk and now asleep. If that wasn't a commentary on his life, he didn't know what was.

* * *

Haley cheered from the sidelines as the Raven's took a 6 point lead in the championship game. Nathan had been amazing, leading the team with 34 points going into the final minute. It looked like the Ravens were going to pull out the victory and win the tournament for the first time since Dan Scott was on the team.

"Nate's looking extra good today," Teresa giggled, leaning over to Haley and winking during a timeout. "You must've given him something extra last night."

Haley gave her a half smile and mentally groaned. The truth was, she'd intended to have a few sips at the party to loosen herself up a little and help her nerves, but the drink had been way stronger than she'd expected and she suspected she'd embarrassed herself and thrown herself at him. She didn't remember much after arriving at the party, but what she did remember was horrible and when she'd woken up with a pounding headache, she'd been sprawled all over him and half undressed. She was so embarrassed, she'd carefully gotten out of bed, grabbed her clothes, and headed to Brooke's room to shower and change. The last thing her confidence needed was having him awkwardly tell her how she'd made a fool of herself.

"He doesn't need my help," she said, "he's worked his butt off for this."

"And what a fine butt it is," Rachel smirked at her, causing everyone who heard to roll their eyes despite their agreement with the words. "Such a waste he's still taking pity on you."

"You're the waste," Brooke interjected, "going after a married man who obviously has no interest in you."

The whistle blew and the girls reluctantly dropped the matter and went back to cheering. Truth was, Haley was nervous about facing him. It hadn't been hard to avoid him with most of the morning spent in the cheer competition, but that was over and in a few seconds the basketball tournament would be as well. She was just glad she wouldn't have to face the long ride home with him as he and Dan were staying one additional night to watch Oak Hill play. That gave her the time to figure out how to try and erase whatever dumb things she'd said and done the night before from his memory.

The buzzer sounded, shaking her out of her thoughts and she realized they'd won. The crowd rushed the floor and she watched as Nathan and Dan shook hands. She smiled and then lost him in the crowd, continuing to watch Dan as he hugged an excited Lucas. "Good for them," she whispered, glad to see things were going better.

"What about me?" Nathan whispered in her ear from behind, "Don't I get a hug?"

She turned around and before she could say anything, he pulled her into his arms and kissed the daylights out of her, "Now that I know you can kiss like that," he whispered against her ear when he pulled away, "I can't seem to stop."

She blushed, "I don't remember everything I did last night, but I'm sorry if I was..."

He put his fingers up against her lips, "there's nothing to apologize for," he gave her another quick kiss.

She closed her eyes, "I'm so embarrassed..."

He tilted her face up to meet his eyes, "there's nothing to be embarrassed by," he told her, "you were like my every fantasy come to life and I'm warning you, next time you better be sober because it took all of my self-control to stop myself last night."

"Really?" Haley squeaked, "um... I..."

"Oh yeah, and just so you're aware, next time you give me the green light?" he smirked at her speechless expression. "I intend to take advantage of everything you have to offer."

He walked away then, back to the middle of the floor where his team was gathering for the award ceremony, and she felt herself practically dissolve into a puddle. "Well, I guess I have a better idea of how last night went," she whispered, "must not have screwed up as bad as I thought because that was..."

"freaking hot," Brooke nudged her with her shoulder. "My bestie the seductress. Who knew you had it in you TG?"

"Not me," Haley admitted. "I feel like I'm in the twilight zone or something."

"Well, you should come back because your husband is about to be named MVP and I doubt you want to miss it."

"No, I certainly don't," she smiled, her world suddenly brighter,"let's go."


	42. Chapter 42

Sorry it's taken so long to get this written. I had a great Christmas break, but it was also very busy and I ran into a major case of writer's block after being away from it for so long. I'm still kind of iffy on it, but it's going to have to be good enough. I have started on the next chapter (and know where I'm going with it) so hopefully it won't be as long a wait next time. Thanks for your patience and Happy Belated New Year.

 **42**

Nathan was still smiling when he climbed into his father's car, the tournament win and the progress he felt like he and Haley had made making him feel better than he had in a long time. On top of that, he'd be getting to see Quentin for the first time since the wedding and even as much as he loved his wife, he'd missed his brother more than he'd ever expected.

Still, despite all the things going right, he felt awkward being alone with the older man and tension filled his shoulders as he moved the seat back for the comfort of his long legs. He wanted so badly for this to work, but he feared he would be let down again. His father didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to honest and healthy relationships and he admitted that he was often too closed off. It made success less than likely, but the outcome desirable enough that he couldn't keep himself from trying anyway. After everything that he'd been through, he felt like he deserved it.

"You were really great out there this weekend," Dan said, looking over him as they headed across town. He still wanted to pinch himself in disbelief that Nathan had willingly joined him on this little trip and while he wanted to talk, he was hesitant to disrupt the good mood. "That last team was tough."

"They always are," Nathan agreed, looking over at him for a second before going back to looking out the window. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, so many things he wanted to know, but he felt anxiety over so many of the possible answers. Instead he just mumbled, "It was a nice win."

They didn't say anything for a few minutes before Dan once again broke the quiet, trying to start a real conversation, "Are you excited about seeing your friends?

Nathan nodded, but the reality was much more complicated than a simple yes. He'd spent three years with some of the people he was about to see again and even if they weren't the best of friends, they were in many ways family. Many of them had spent more time together than with their real families, the long trips and limited visits with the outside making them bond together. "It'll be strange, but even if I'm not there anymore, I still think of most of those guys as my teammates and of course, Q is like my brother. I can't say I'll enjoy watching from the sidelines though."

"Do you miss it? Your team, the school?" Dan asked a moment later deciding to take a chance and venture the real question he felt compelled to ask, "Do you ever wish you'd stayed?"

Nathan hesitated, knowing once again there were several components to that question. His answer at various points over the previous months had changed back and forth several times, but he had finally found peace with it all. "There were times ,when things weren't going well, that I have to admit I wondered if I'd made the right decision, but I love Haley and we're happy. I wish I hadn't had to give up my team for that to happen, but it's done and I'm done looking back."

"And your new team is starting to look good," Dan added, relief tinting his response, "you've really pulled them together in a way I didn't think they were capable of."

"Thanks," Nathan shrugged, never really comfortable with praise. He looked over at his father and stepped lightly out on a limb. He knew both of them had to make the effort if it was going to work so he added, "I've also I've gotten to know you and Lucas better. I don't think that ever would've happened if things hadn't worked out this way."

Dan agreed, his heart racing as he recognized the tentative reaching out. He felt like he'd been waiting for this moment for years and found it hard to believe he hadn't even known about his second son half a year earlier. "I appreciate this chance, more than you know."

He didn't say anything else and they let things settle between them as they pulled into the parking lot of the gym. It was packed full of cars as this was a big, televised game between two nationally ranked teams. "I bet you miss this though," he gestured to all the fans as they walked in, news crews and scouts easy to spot. "I would've loved the chance to play for a team like this in high school. Going to UNC was like living in a dream world."

Nathan looked around, spotting several people he knew and hundreds that he didn't, "It was really cool at first, but I guess once you're used to it, it's not such a big deal. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of the limelight and I enjoy the competition, but it's the game I love most and I'm still playing it, just not in front of the cameras."

* * *

"So, how was last night?" Lucas asked, plopping into the vacant worn bench seat Brooke had vacated minutes earlier. Stretching his legs as much as possible in confines of the cramped bus, "You looked pretty wasted when we found you."

"Horrible,," she hid her face in her hands at the memory, her mind drifting back to the snippets of the evening she could remember and groaning as they replayed in her head, "I acted like an idiot."

"Well I figured that," he teased, leaning in and bumping his shoulder against hers, "I have seen you drunk before."

"Ugh, I should've known better than to even take that first sip," she closed her eyes as if they could wipe away her brief memories, "I don't remember all of it, but I from what I do, I'm pretty sure I tried to seduce him, failed, and spent half the night with my head hanging over the toilet."

"Oooh. Sounds like fun," Lucas crinkled up his nose at the idea. He'd never been able to handle the smell of vomit and his stomach churned just thinking about it. "Maybe you're overreacting. He didn't seem upset or anything this morning. In fact, from his mood I thought last night must've gone really, really well." He wiggled his eyebrows in a playful gesture that made her roll her eyes.

"I was so embarrassed, I took off before he got up," she admitted sheepishly, thinking back to the moment she'd woken and made a hasty exit, most of her memories not returning until after she'd showered, "but he was pretty happy and... intense after the game so I guess he must not be too upset. Or maybe it was just adrenaline from the win...ugh, I really wish I could remember more..."

"Maybe you needed to shake things up a little," Lucas suggested, "I know this isn't how you'd choose to do it, but you two have been in a sort of awkward limbo lately."

"What makes you say that?" Haley asked, turning her body toward him in dismay "Did he say that? Is he unhappy?"

"Woah," he held up his hands in front of him to stop her questions. He belatedly realized it must've been even worse than he'd thought if that hit such a nerve with her, "He didn't say anything about it, but I've spent a lot of time with both of you and it's pretty obvious, at least to the few of us that know the real story."

"I swear, I am never drinking again," she lamented, thinking back on how he was after the game. She would give anything to know the reasons for his comment, his sudden confidence, "Something must've happened more than what I know. [Dang], of all times for him to be gone overnight."

"You that anxious to try seducing him again?" Lucas teased.

"You're a jerk," she hit him on the arm, "I can't believe you'd say that to me. I just want to get answers. You know how I hate not knowing things."

Lucas did know, he'd grown up with her after all, "Okay, whatever you say Hales. Now, I've done the good friend thing, but talking about this stuff with you is giving me hives so can we change the subject a bit? How do you think their little bonding time is going?"

"I have no idea," Haley's nose scrunched as she mentally shifted gears, "I know things have improved between them, but there's still a level of discomfort there. It'll be a challenge for them to be alone together for so long. In fact, I'm surprised Nathan agreed to it." She fiddled with her ring and looked out the window for a minute, "Do you think," she eventually ventured, "it has something to do with us? That he needed a break?"

"No," Lucas was quick to stop her, knowing if she got the idea firmly planted in her head it would run away from her and cause no end of trouble "if there is one thing in this I'm sure of, it's that he loves you and wants to be with you. I wouldn't have gone along with any of this if I didn't believe that."

"But you said yourself that things have been tense and I know he's got to be frustrated..." Haley just wanted to get off the emotional roller coaster it felt like she was on."

"I think that he missed his friends and felt like this was a way to kill two birds with one stone. Get Dad off his back about spending time together in an environment where they'd have a lot to talk about and see his best friend at the same time," the blonde argued. "I don't think it had anything to do with you. In fact, if what I saw after the game was any indication, he didn't want to leave you."

"I know you're probably right," she sighed, mentally chastising herself. She'd already been through most of this with Brooke who has basically told her to suck it up and wait for him naked. She shivered at the thought, though it certainly wasn't as unpleasant as she'd expected it to be. Maybe she'd have to at least consider it tomorrow, but at the moment, she had to explain her behavior to her best friend, "I'm just so insecure with him. I don't know why, I'm never like this, I'm usually so sure of myself..."

"You've never been in love before either," he pointed out, reaching down and squeezing her hand, "It makes even the most jaded of us feel like cry babies sometimes."

"It's nice to have you back you know," she smiled softly before leaning over and laying her head on his shoulder. "I didn't even realize how much I missed this until I had it back."

He put his arm around her shoulder, "Me too Hales. I'm sorry it took so long."

* * *

Nathan and Dan found their seats near the end of the first quarter. "I can't believe Q is sitting right now, they need him out there." He looked up at the scoreboard where Oak Hill was down by 5. "I don't know what coach is thinking leaving Russell out there to run things."

"Your friend doesn't look happy about it either," Dan pointed to the young man on the bench who was leaning over with his hands on his head. He appeared to be glaring daggers alternatively between the coach and the floor.

Russell made a shot to end the quarter and gestured to the crowd, jumping up and waving his arms excitedly as the buzzer rang and the team came off the floor. Nathan shook his head at his antics, not surprised to find the freshman acting like they'd won the championship when they were down by 8. "Not a fan of his?" Dan asked, noticing his son's reaction of disgust. "It was a nice shot."

"It was," Nathan conceded with a nod of his head, his tone not in sync with his words, "but it wasn't the best play. He had two guys open for better ones and he never even considered passing. It's always all about him and making himself look good, team be [dang]ed. Q says it's almost cost them a couple games already and this one will be one of their toughest of the year. Carmel is always one of the best teams in the nation."

Dan nodded, watching as Quentin said something to the kid that made him scowl before they switched places and the elder player took the court to start the second quarter. They started play and the two of them watched as the Warriors started to draw closer with Quentin running things. "I'm surprised how much Quentin runs the offense. That's unusual for a small forward."

Nathan was watching closely and it took a moment for him to respond, "He's always had that ability, but usually left it to me. Now that I'm not there, he's taken on a lot more responsibilty. He hates it, but it's actually good for him going forward. As much as he likes to tease me about being short, he's not much taller. We'll most likely both have to be guards going forward."

They watched the rest of the quarter, the half finishing with Oak Hill only down 3, before heading down to get refreshments. They were standing in the lobby when they ran into a few people Nathan knew. He made the introductions and filled them in on his new team, receiving their congratulations and their comments about missing him.

"Sounds like they wish they still had you," Dan said proudly, patting Nathan on the back. "I can't say I blame them with what I've seen so far."

"Of course, that's because they don't realize why you really left," a man said from behind. "Being scared to lose isn't a good trait in an athlete."

Nathan turned, groaning at the source before acknowledging him, "I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I suppose it's good to see you Mr. Lewis."

"Come on Nate," the older man shook his head, his balding head setting off a glare under the bright lights, "we all know you left so you didn't lose your starting spot. Didn't want to be shown up by a younger player?"

Nathan sighed. He'd never liked the old scout, though he got along with him when he had to. The man loved Quentin and had been the one to push for a scholarship offer, but when the head coach had chosen to offer for Nathan too, he'd been annoyed and argued against it. Nathan did his best to ignore the man and was just glad that once he got to Lexington he would rarely have to see him. "I had many reasons to leave," Nathan pointed out, doing his best to keep his tone even. He rarely lost his temper, but when he did it was hard to calm himself down from. This wasn't a situation where he could afford that kind of outburst. "Competing for a starting spot wasn't one of them. I've never been one to shy away from anything."

"No, you just choke when your team needs you the most," the man said, his smug grin making Dan want to punch him in the face. Where did the man get off talking to a kid like this? "Surely I'm not the only one that remembers how you failed your team in the big game last year. Blowing the chance to give your team the victory."

"That shot had a one in a hundred chance no matter who took it," Dan stepped in, surprising his son who didn't even know he'd seen the play. Nathan might've had to fight his own battles in the past, but he wasn't on his own anymore when it came to dealing with people like these. "Most pros can't put that in."

The man shifted to face the older man, as if noticing him for the first time, "and who are you?"

"Dan Scott," he reached out his hand politely, as if he didn't really want to tear the man's arm off. As a car salesman he'd learned the art of putting on a polite face and conversing with people, whether he could stand them or not, "Nathan's father. And you are?"

"Josh Lewis," the man stood to his full height, "Head of recruiting operations for Kentucky University."

Dan nodded, pretending for a moment to be impressed with the title before asking, "So you're a scout?" The other man frowned but couldn't really argue. "Well, since my son seems set on playing there, it sounds like you've done your job. I'd personally be more interested in him joining my alma mater at UNC, but he turned already them down," he added with a theatrical sigh.

"I am THE scout," he narrowed his eyes in response. "Our coaches trust me to make sure we find the best talent available and I'm not sure your son is it. I've made my opinion known to Coach Smith..."

"Then you aren't as bright as I gave you credit for," Dan replied, keeping his voice carefully controlled. Anyone who knew him well would recognize how he was fighting to hold on to his temper. "My son is one of the most promising players I've witnessed in all my years of watching and playing the sport. You'd be a fool to pass up on him."

He paused and looked around as he gathered his emotions, spotting someone he hadn't seen in years. _Perfect timing though_. He smiled, this time more honestly, " Oh, excuse us would you? As thrilling as this has been, I see one of my old teammates," he turned to Nathan, "I know you said you weren't interested in UNC, but he coaches at Wake now and it's always good to keep your options open. Come on Nate, I want to introduce you. Nice to meet you John."

* * *

"That man was an [butt]," Dan said, leaning against the wall next to his son as they waited for Quentin to come out of the locker room after their 2 point loss. "I don't know how you can put up with him."

Nathan shrugged, "I just remind myself it's the coaches opinion that really matters. He's the one I'll be playing for. Thanks for the help with him though. It was nice to see him put in his place a bit."

"I was tempted to make his place the floor," Dan smirked, stretching his back out, "I don't know if I've ever seen such a pompous jackass."

"I'm sure you have," Nathan laughed, "but it's probably been a while."

"[Dang] it Nate, you must be bad luck," Quentin walked out of the locker room, his steps slow but his smile bright, "You finally make it to a game and it's the first one we lose."

"Hey," Nathan held up his hands, "I wasn't the one who couldn't hit a free throw down the stretch."

"I missed one," Q narrowed his eyes, "if that punk knew how to be a team player, it wouldn't have come down to that."

Nathan nodded in agreement, "Coach still under pressure to start him or does he really think it's a good idea?"

Quentin dropped his bag with a thud and ran his hand across his face, "I don't know, but probably. I mean, the boosters just see the 20 points, not all the mistakes he made and the dumb shots he took to get those points. Besides, who is he going to replace him with?"

Nathan knew his friend was right. If someone had been pushing him to start over Nathan, then they certainly wouldn't accept anyone else from the bench taking his place. "That sucks."

Q nodded and then looked around, "No blondie this time?"

"Nah, Haley has a paper to write and she's spending time with her dad while her mom is out of town. We made this a guys thing," he explained, "but she said to tell you hi and that she'll send you an email soon."

Q grinned. He and Haley had been writing messages back and forth since before the wedding and had become friends as well, "She's too good for you, you know? You're a lucky [jerk] Scott."

Nathan grinned, "I'm well aware of how special my wife is. Now, you think coach will let you come to dinner with us? We've got a lot of catching up to do and he's paying," he gestured toward Dan with his thumb.

"I'll go ask," Quentin smiled at the idea, "It'll sure beat whatever the team is eating."

* * *

The bus pulled into the parking lot just before 11 that evening and all the students dragged themselves off to head home. Haley had ended up sleeping for half the ride and she was one of the more awake of them, giving Brooke and Lucas both hugs before looking for her dad. Since Nathan was gone and so was her mom, she was going to spend the night and the next day with her father.

"Where is he?" she wondered, searching the quickly emptying lot. "He should've been here by now."

"Still no dad?" Lucas pulled up next to her. "I can give you a lift."

"Let me call and let him know," she nodded. "I don't want to leave if he's almost here."

She dialed her phone and heard it ring several times before the answering machine picked up. "Dad," she said, "It's me, Haley. Lucas is going to bring me home since I guess you forgot and went to bed. I'll see you soon."

She climbed into the car, stashing her bag in the small backseat, "He's terrible about remembering things when Mom's not around to remind him. I should've just had Nathan leave his car here for me to drive over there."

"I'm still surprised he lets you drive it at all," Lucas teased as they pulled out, "I sure as heck wouldn't."

She stuck her tongue out at him, "Just for that, you owe me food. I'm starving."

"I don't owe you anything," he eyed her, "but I could go for something too. Stopping for McDonalds three hours ago just isn't cutting it. Too bad Mom's is closed. A piece of her pie sounds amazing."

"I'm more in the mood for some really greasy pizza. I hardly ever get it since Nathan's always wanting to eat healthy," she said. "Let's swing by Pete's."

"Okay, but only if you order mine without mushrooms," Lucas eyed her warily. "I don't know how you can eat those things. Don't you know they're fungus?"

"Ha ha," she rolled her eyes at him. "You just don't have good taste."

"I guess I did choose you for a friend, didn't I?" he put his finger to his lip, "maybe you're right..."

"You're just a bag of laughs tonight," she rolled her eyes at him. "Why did I miss you?"

"Because I'm charming?"

"Yeah, I don't think so," she shook her head. "Speaking of, where's Peyton. I thought you'd be taking her home."

"Her dad is actually home, so he picked her up. She always tries to spend as much time with him as she can when he's here. It really sucks that he's gone so much," Lucas steered them toward downtown as Haley dialed and ordered the pizza. "I know we've had issues with our parents, but at least they are parents. Her dad is more like a guest that visits once a month."

Haley had heard the stories and they talked about the situation a little more as they headed toward the only food open that late in Tree Hill. "I can empathize," she told him as they got out of the car. "I hated it when my parents were gone all the time and even though I don't live with them anymore, I'm so happy to have them home and know I can see them anytime I want. This is the closest my dad and I have been since I was little."

"I'm happy for you Hales," he smiled, holding the door open for her, "It seems like you're on the verge of having everything you've ever wanted."

She smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "If things go well with Nathan when he gets back, and after talking to him a little while ago I'm pretty sure they will, I think that'll be an understatement. I can't remember the last time I felt so happy."

* * *

Nathan climbed into his bed as Dan got ready to turn out the light, surprised to find that he'd really enjoyed the evening. They'd eaten some admittedly amazing steaks and the conversation between the three had been free and relaxed. Dan had mostly just listened to the boys tell stories and asked questions when he got confused or wanted more details. They had talked about everything from their teams and school to growing up, Dan even asking about Haley and how her scholarship efforts were going. It had been a fun night, free of the normal drama that usually surrounded them.

"I'm glad you were willing to take this chance," Dan said, sitting down on the side of his bed. "I know it wasn't just for me, you really wanted to see your friends, but means a lot to me that you're here anyway."

Nathan's back was turned to him and he wasn't sure if he was going to get a response, so he sighed and swung his legs up onto the bed, adjusting his pillows as he prepared to lay down.

"I am too," Nathan said, not bothering to turn and face him. Maybe it was easier for him that way, "You've really been trying and I want you to know that while I might not always show it, I do appreciate it."

"I have a lot to make up for," Dan still felt the weight of all his mistakes, sometimes so much he felt like they would suffocate him, "I don't blame you for having trouble trusting me. I hurt you in so many ways..."

"I haven't exactly been the easiest person to deal with either, but you didn't give up on me," Nathan finally rolled over, "even when I'm sure it would've been easier for you if you did."

"You're my son," Dan felt tears well up in his eyes as his voice choked slightly. He paused to make sure his next words were clear. "I love you and I will do anything in my power to make sure I never, ever lose you again."

Nathan nodded, the emotion in the older man's voice coming through clearly. He meant what he said and so many responses ran through his brain that he couldn't decide what to say and then he realized his throat was clogging up with emotions as well, so he simply said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight son," Dan said, reaching to turn out the light when Nathan's phone rang. "Who's calling you so late?"

Nathan shook his head, grabbing the phone off the nightstand, "It's Lucas."

"You have to come back, right now," his brother's voice was frantic and out of breath when he came on the line, the amount of noise behind him making it hard to hear his words. _Was that a siren?_

"Woah," he sat up, immediately alert "What's going on? Where are you?"

"In the emergency room. There's been a car accident and...just come now and I'll explain when I have more information. It's bad Nate. Haley is a mess and she really needs you."

"I'll be there as soon as I can..." he frantically looked for something to put on, his boxers the only thing he was wearing at the moment. "Take care of her for me Lucas and tell her...tell her to hold on, I'm on my way."


	43. Chapter 43

Sorry it's been so long. Suffice to say that going back to teaching has been a lot more time-consuming than I expected and I've had a hard time finding time/desire to work on this story. However, the super cold wave gave us two days off and I made the most of them to get this together. Hopefully, I can keep some momentum going, but we'll see. As always, thank you for your patience and your reviews. They're probably the only reason I haven't given up.

 **43**

Haley finally took a break from her constant pacing and sat down in the waiting room, feeling her small body crumple as soon the hard plastic hit the back of her knees. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms before looking back at the clock as she'd done almost constantly for the last 3 hours. How had it only been 3 minutes since she last looked when it felt like it had been forever? She reached up and rubbed at her dry, itchy eyes, amazed that she hadn't yet cried. She wasn't even sure why, when pain and desperation were the only things she could feel. Lucas had told her she didn't need to be strong in front of him, that he was there to lean on, but still they didn't come. She felt numb. It was almost as if she was outside of herself, watching from a distance as her body performed the basic functions with no emotions and even less patience.

She looked at her best friend and saw the worry on his face, the panic that he had no idea what to do for her. He was trying so hard to be there for her and even in her strange detachment, she knew she was probably hurting him by pushing him away. She'd even tried leaning on him, wanting the comfort that she'd been sure her best friend could provide, but it hadn't helped and she'd realized he wasn't who she needed.

She looked back at the clock and watched the second hand move, wishing she had some way to change time, to end the infernal waiting. Her phone rang in her pocket and she barely noticed, not making a move to answer it until Lucas came back over and grabbed it out of her coat for her.

"Hello," she accepted it from his hand, her voice rusty and cracking, her lips barely forming the words.

"It's mom. I'm still stuck at the airport," her mother's usually calm voice was thick with tears, "the flight was delayed, but we should be boarding soon. How is he? Is there any news?"

"They think it was a heart attack," Haley gave her the most recent update, "but they're also worried about the damage from the crash. As far as I know, he hasn't woken up yet."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. If you get to see him, tell him I'm coming and..." he could hear the sob her mother attempted to hold back, "tell him he's not allowed to leave me yet."

"I will," Haley nodded, a single tear escaping and running down her face. "I love you."

Lucas looked over at his best friend, her brown eyes sunken and dark. What was he supposed to do, to say that would help her to feel any better? She was clearly exhausted and he'd tried to convince her to sleep or talk to him, even offering his shoulder if she needed to cry, but she refused, even though her stoicism was clearly taking its toll on her. She looked so brittle and he was afraid any moment she would snap.

Karen returned with coffee for all of them, handing one to Haley who simply nodded before setting the warm brew on the small table next to her and then standing once again to go check in at the nurses' station.

"I'm worried about her," Karen said, slowly moving to sit next to her son, "it's not healthy for her to shut down like this."

Lucas shook his head in response, "I don't know what else to do. She won't listen to me. She's like a zombie."

Karen could sense the pain, the helplessness, he was feeling and understood. She was counting down the minutes until her husband arrived with Haley's. She was pretty sure Nathan was the only one, other than possibly her mother, who had any chance of breaking through her walls. "We just have to make sure she knows we're here if she needs us."

"It would help if we had some news," Lucas rubbed his hands down his face, "it seems it's like forever since they told us anything."

"Did you ever get hold of her sisters?"

Lucas shook his head. He'd tried several times and left voicemails, but hadn't heard anything in return, "Haley tried too, but they haven't responded. I'm not surprised at Taylor, she's always been irresponsible, but Quinn's usually at least reachable" He stood, his frustration making him lash out and smack the wall, "They should be here."

"We'll try again in a few minutes," Karen held the coffee between her hands, "they'd be here if they knew."

"I know," he sighed in frustration, looking over at his best friend, "but she needs them now."

* * *

Nathan jumped from the car before Dan even put it in park, running into the hospital and straight for the emergency waiting room. His need to see Haley urging him to not waste another second in reaching her.

"Hales," he breathed as soon as he spotted her, his voice breaking at the sight of her looking so broken. "Haley," he took a few more steps and knelt in front of her, "I'm here baby," he reached for her hands, rubbing them in his own as he felt how cold they were. "It's going to be okay."

She shook her head no as she raised her head to look at him, unable to meet his gaze head on. "This is all my fault."

"No," Nathan quickly refuted her statement, forcing her gaze to meet his and see the resolution there, "No."

"He wouldn't have been on the road except for me," she whispered, trying to pull away, "he would be safe..."

"Dan said he had a heart attack..." Nathan was confused, thinking he'd missed something. "It had nothing to do with you."

"But he wouldn't have been driving..."

"He still would've probably had it at home," Nathan was quick to point out. "What if he'd had it with no one around? Maybe being out when it happened saved his life."

"Or maybe his injuries from the crash will be what take it," she couldn't help but feel guilty. If only she hadn't asked for a ride... if she hadn't gone out with Lucas...there were so many ways she might have prevented things. She'd been sitting there for hours remembering the times she'd had with him and also what the psychic had said what seemed like an eternity ago. She'd thought it had already come true when Nathan had left her, but what if this is what the woman had meant. What if she was about to lose her father? "I should've been there."

"None of this is your fault," he insisted. He understood now why Lucas had looked the way he did when he'd walked in. Haley was not herself and she was starting to scare him. He stood and moved to sit next to her, pulling her against his side, hoping the physical comfort could get through to her in a way words didn't seem to be, "you had no way of knowing any of this was going to happen."

"I'm not ready to lose him...I can't..." she moved closer against him as tears started to slide down her cheeks, "we haven't had enough time..."

"Shhhh," Nathan pulled her across the seat so she was sitting in his lap, tucking her face into his chest as she began to cry in earnest, heart wrenching sobs that shook her whole body, "It's going to be okay," he whispered, stroking her hair and holding her close as she let go of everything she'd been holding in. "That's okay, let it all out. I've got you."

Dan entered the room minutes after his son to find Nathan holding his sobbing wife while his own wife in and other son looking on, grief etched on their own faces, "Any news?"

"Nothing new," Karen stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his strong chest. "I'm glad you're here. Haley's trying to be strong, but you can see how scared she is. Thank you for getting him here so fast."

"I did what I could. Luckily, there isn't a lot of traffic in the middle of the night," he rested his cheek against her head and watched as Nathan took care of the slip of a girl in his arms, tenderly whispering to her and wiping away her tears. "I guess maybe I underestimated how they feel about each other. They're so young and I thought..." he shook his head as he gestured toward the young couple, "but he was distraught the whole way back, so worried about her, so grown up, so selfless. For the first time I think I get how much he really loves her."

"He really does. He's a good man and you know how I've always felt about her. I'm glad they have each other," she agreed, "whatever happens, they'll be okay."

"Maybe so," Dan nodded, " but, they've both been through so much already. They deserve some good news."

Karen looked back over at them, Haley now resting against his chest with her eyes closed. "Let's hope they get some soon."

* * *

Nathan woke to see Karen standing next to a doctor, the man's tired stance telling him he'd been working for a while. Shifting his body to alleviate his sleeping arm and stiff neck, he stretched and then gently woke his wife. She started to slide off his lap in embarrassment, but he held her close, wanting to maintain their physical connection in case the news wasn't good. "What can you tell us?"

The doctor gave a small smile and looked at Haley, "Your father is awake. The heart attack was relatively mild and he has some minor lacerations, but we are most concerned about his head injury. The fact that he is awake and able to speak is a very good sign. If he hadn't been wearing his seatbelt when he hit the pole...well, it could've been so much worse."

"Why did it take so long in there?" Dan jumped in, "If that's all you're dealing with..."

"A heart attack is never a small matter, but we've been mostly concerned by his lack of consciousness for so long. As far as we can tell, he has a concussion. Normally, it takes more damage than he appears to have sustained to keep a person out as long as he was, so we've been running tests to make sure there isn't some other cause. So far every test has come back clear for further complications, but effects can show up hours, days, even months after this kind of injury. We will need to watch him closely for any further signs of trauma."

"Like?" Lucas swallowed as he listened, glancing at his friend. He knew as scared as she was, she wasn't thinking clearly, but she'd want to know everything.

"Seizures, swelling of the brain, fever, confusion, memory loss..." the doctor ticked off possibilities on his fingers. "He may show no signs at all and if so, we will just deal with his heart, but we want to take every precaution to make sure he is as well taken care of as possible."

"This is a nightmare, it has to be..." Haley turned her face into her husband's shirt as new tears began to flow. "I just want to wake up."

"When can we see him?" Nathan asked, looking over her head as he held her close. He knew she wouldn't be able to calm down until they did. Until she could see for herself that he was alive, that she could look into his eyes.

"He's having one more test done and then being moved to a room, so it'll be about an hour. They'll come out and get you when he's ready, but only two at a time please and keep it short. He needs his rest."

* * *

Nathan and Haley were back in the waiting room, this time on the heart floor, and he was trying to coax her into laying against him and resting. All the sleep she'd had was that brief nap in the waiting room earlier and if he was feeling like he could barely stay awake after taking a nap on the way here, he knew she must be worn to the bone.

"Please," he pleaded with her, "we can't see him again for at least an hour and you won't even be able to function by then if you don't rest. I swear, I'll wake you up if anything changes or your mom calls."

"I wish I could've talked to him," she lamented, "It's hard to let myself believe he's okay until I hear his voice."

Nathan wished more than anything that his father-in-law had been awake when they finally got to see him, but the doctors said the rest was what he needed so instead they'd sat by his side. Haley had held his hand as she talked quietly, trying to make her voice sound cheerful among the sounds of the monitors and other machines that created a dreadful symphony. "I know, but you won't be any good to him if you don't rest."

She accepted that truth and let him guide her to lay down on the bench seat, resting her head on his lap, "I don't think I could handle this if you weren't here," she whispered, her eyes closing at the feel of his hands running through her long hair. "I'm not strong enough."

"You could. You're stronger than you know," he told her, his hand giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze before he settled his coat over her, "but you don't have to worry about that. I'll always be here for you. I love you."

She smiled, curling even closer to him as she let herself relax, "I love you too."

* * *

Nathan entered the apartment behind Haley, the long hours of driving and then sitting in uncomfortable chairs making his muscles stiff. They'd stayed at the hospital most of the day, long enough for Haley's sisters and her mother to arrive and for Haley to speak briefly to her father. According to the doctors, the man was very lucky. They were going to do an angioplasty and as long as nothing new showed up from his concussion, he'd be out in a couple of days. Other than a few necessary dietary changes and a new medication, he wouldn't be too worse for the experience.

"Do you want me to get you something to eat?" he asked her after setting down their bags, "you haven't had much all day."

"No," she shook her head, looking over at him and them tracing her hand along the back of the couch, "I'm not really in the mood to eat anything."

He thought about trying to convince her, but decided it wasn't worth arguing over. "Why don't you go climb into bed and get some sleep? I'm going to take a shower."

She didn't say anything and after a moment he decided to just go ahead and head into the bathroom. If she was still waiting when he exited, he'd do something about it then. Closing the door behind him he pulled his sweatshirt over his head, taking his undershirt with it. He reached in and turned on the water, making it hot enough to soothe the soreness in his back and shoulders. Dropping his pants on the way, he stepped into the shower and leaning his head forward against the tile. He let the water rush over the back of his neck and shoulders, hoping it would help relax the area enough for him to sleep. He closed his eyes and moaned as he felt small hands grip his shoulders, working into them , loosening any knots there, "Thank you," he whispered, "that feels amazing Hales..."

His eyes flew open at his own words, spinning around and almost falling in his surprise as he took in her equally naked body, "Haley?"

"That's my name," she said, doing her best not to giggle at the surprised look on his face. That wouldn't go at all with the seduction she'd decided to attempt. "Where you expecting someone else?"

"No, of course not, but what are you? You shouldn't..." he stumbled as he fought for words, reluctantly averting his eyes despite wanting more than anything to stare at the sight of his beautiful wife, his very hot, sexy, naked wife. Despite his desire, and it was raging, he wasn't willing to push her and after everything she'd been through, the last thing she needed was him ogling her.

"Why not?" she asked him, reaching up to bring his face back toward her. It had taken all her nerve to walk in there, but she was starting to feel like she'd done something wrong, "Don't you want me? I thought..." his eyes were still gazing over her head and she felt like covering her body in embarrassment, "Nevermind, just pretend this never happened," she felt her face start to flame up and feeling like an idiot, she turned to get out of the tub.

"No, stop," he reached for her, pulling her back around and pulling her against him. "I'm sorry, I do want you...more than you can imagine," he attempted to keep his hands on her back, his desire to slide them over her slick skin more tempting than he'd ever imagined possible. He closed his eyes for a moment as his body raged, trying to keep himself under control, "I swore I wouldn't push you and we just left the hospital..."

She looked up at him and put a finger to his lips, "all the more reason to not waste another minute. I've been scared of this, of how you make me feel. I've been making myself crazy with all the what ifs, but I'm not going to let myself anymore. Last night reminded me that anything can happen, at any time. I could've been with my dad in that car, something could've happened to you on the way back..."

"Don't say things like that," he shook his head at her maudlin thoughts. "I don't want to think that way."

"I don't want to either, but I can't live with the idea that I could die without being with you, without experiencing that with you. Life is short and I'm done wasting time. I want you to really be my husband."

"Are you sure?" he felt the need to ask one more time, his body coiled like a spring, the tension the shower had worked out returning in every muscle as he waited for her answer. He searched her eyes and waited for a moment.

She rolled her eyes and wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him down to her and pressed her lips against his, pulling his bottom lip into her mouth and worrying it with her teeth, her hand in his hair holding him closer "That answer your question?"

He smiled at that as she pulled away, his reluctance departing in the face of her grin. "[Heck] yeah," he laughed, taking another step forward and pressing her against the wall. He'd been exhausted only moments earlier, but suddenly his fatigue vanished into the steamy air and he had to slow himself down. Sliding his hand up to cup her breast, he kissed her long and hard as the punishing spray rained on his back, swallowing her moans as his other hand joined in. "God, you feel amazing."

"So do you," she responded, letting her hands wander over his strong arms, then across his sculpted chest and then down his abs as they devoured each other. Just as she had started to follow the thin trail of hair that led to the place he most wanted her touch, he reached back and turned off the water, startling his partner as the warmth abated.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her face scrunched up in confusion as she gestured, " Can't we...you know, in here?"

"Oh we can and some day we will, I swear," he half laughed, half groaned as he opened the door, reaching for her hand to help her out, "but not this time, it would be over too fast This time I want to take our time and make sure we get exactly what we've been waiting for."

* * *

Haley could feel the sunlight streaming on her face through the partially opened blinds but refused to open her eyes. She was so warm and comfortable, cradled against Nathan's bare chest, his arm holding her against his side. In fact, she decided that she never wanted to move again. She felt surprisingly rested and peaceful before remembrance crept in of everything that happened before she'd fallen into her dreamless slumber, the details leading to her lying naked and pressed against an equally naked man. She'd been so nervous, felt so unprepared, but couldn't regret a minute of it. In fact, a wide smile spread across her face as she realized she'd have to tell Brooke she was right. As much as it bothered her that Nathan had experience before her, she'd never before realized she was such a jealous creature, it sure worked to her advantage now. He had certainly learned well.

She stretched against him and rubbed her leg against his before relaxing it again between his. She felt like a completely different person, like a woman. A very happy, very married woman.

"Feeling rather proud of yourself?" her husband's deep voice rumbled beneath her chest, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Mmm," she finally opened her eyes to look up at him and leaned to give him a soft kiss, "just thinking about how good this feels, waking up like this."

He nodded, rubbing his hand over her hair and pulling her even closer, "How'd you sleep?"

"Really well," she closed her eyes again and listened to his heartbeat beneath her ear, "you're better than Nyquil."

He narrowed his eyes, "I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I must've been doing something wrong if I bored you to sleep..."

Haley's eyes went wide open, "I didn't mean that," she was quick to defend, "I meant you know, that you made me so tired and I felt so safe..." she saw his smirk and realized he was teasing her and slapped him lightly on the chest. It seemed like it had been a long time since they'd had this level of comfort with each other, "You're such a jerk sometimes."

He shrugged, "You love me anyway."

"I do," she agreed and settled back in against him, "I should probably call and check on my dad, but I don't ever want to move from this spot."

"Me either," he kissed the top of her head as a muffled sound was heard, "but apparently your stomach says otherwise."

Haley reached down to cover it in embarrassment, but sighed as she realized the mood was already broken and Nathan was sliding out from underneath her.

"Let's get up and I'll make breakfast while you call the hospital," Nathan patted her butt, "Luke is going to be here in just over an hour to pick me up on his lunch break."

Haley nodded and slid to her side as he got out of bed and threw on a pair of shorts. He rummaged through his drawers and grabbed a t-shirt before leaving her alone in the room. She sat on the edge of the bed for a couple of minutes and then grabbed her phone to make the necessary calls.

Fifteen minutes later Nathan returned to find her still sitting in the same spot, staring at the wall, "What happened?" he was immediately concerned, coming to sit next to her on the bed and putting his arm around her, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "nothing new."

"I don't have to go to school," he offered, wondering if that was the cause for her despondency. The previous evening she'd all but told him he had to go, but maybe she'd changed her mind. "If you need me Hales, I want to be there for you. You're more important than anything else."

Haley shook her head, "I'm fine. I told you, I don't want you to miss the game and you know you can't play if you don't make it in for your afternoon classes. I just...I don't know..." she couldn't put a finger on exactly what was bothering her at the moment, "I guess it just seems strange. I feel like everything is so different now, like we're different, and it feels weird to go back to real life."

"If it helps, remember that that is part of our real life too now," he smiled, leaning over and giving her a soft, lingering kiss. "It wasn't a one-time thing you know. "

"I know," she rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help the giggle that escaped, "I'm aware I'm being silly, just ignore me."

"Sorry, I can't..." he told her, "even before I met you, from across the dock, you were impossible to ignore."

* * *

"Nathan," Coach Whitey Durham shouted across the gym, calling his best player from pre-game warm-ups to the sideline. "Are you alright son?" he placed his hand on the tall boy's shoulder, "You look a little preoccupied."

Nathan shrugged, his gaze involuntarily shifting to the sideline where his wife usually was, "this is going to sound lame, but I miss my wife being out here."

"I heard about her dad," Whitey's voice dropped, "it would be understandable if you needed to be there with her."

"Thanks coach," Nathan was touched by the words. The only other coach who had ever seemed to care about anything in his life beyond the game was James Fields, "I really appreciate that, but Haley told me to come. She's got her mom and her sisters there. I think even one of her brothers might have made it in by now. She'll be fine."

"But you still wish you were there, don't you?" Whitey understood what his player wasn't saying. "You're a lucky young man, you know?" he told him. "I know with everything you've been through it might not feel that way, but you've got parents that love you, good friends, and you've found your match at a young age. Most people would be delighted with any one of those things and you have them all. Don't let the past stop you from being grateful for the present. Enjoy every minute while you can."

"I know," Nathan nodded, "and that's what I'm trying to do. I love Haley and she wants me to be here, so here I am and I'm going to play my best game of the year, because that's what she'd want."

"But?" Whitey knew there was something he wasn't saying.

Nathan chuckled at his coach's drawn out word, "but, when the game's over, don't bother looking for me. I'll be with her."


	44. Chapter 44

Haley sat on the couch, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the moment of quiet after a long, emotionally draining day. Things had been so hectic that while she was anxious to see her husband, she was also glad for the chance to sit and reflect. Things had changed dramatically in the last couple of days and she felt dizzy from the speed of it all, the adjustments she needed to make. It was almost overwhelming and she decided to take a few minutes to do some yoga. It would calm her and be good for her admittedly sore muscles. She grinned momentarily at the reason for that and then forced herself to calm. She had plenty of time to think about, and hopefully repeat, those events later. Scooting to the floor, she closed her eyes and fought to find her focus, pushing away all the events clogging up her mind.

She'd spent most of the day at the hospital with her family, sitting together and catching up while her father was in surgery, trying not to worry too much about them working on him in a nearby room. The doctor had assured them it was a simple, common procedure, but it never felt that way when it was your loved one being worked on and this was no exception. When they'd finally told them it had been a success, the family had been visibly relieved and almost immediately, the discussion had turned to her marriage. Her eldest brother hadn't made it to the wedding and therefore hadn't met her husband yet, but he still felt the need to tell her it was a mistake. She knew he'd been against her marriage, but hadn't expected to get the third degree at the hospital, especially since the deed was already done, and the conversation had gotten emotional.

She was actually glad that Nathan hadn't been with her because as much as she would've loved his support, he would've gotten defensive and made things worse. Instead, with her mother's help and some pictures Taylor of all people had saved on her phone, they'd managed to come to a tentative understanding. Tony still thought she was too young and doubted the wisdom of her decision, but he was willing to admit that it was her life and her choice to make. Now that he was calmer and had heard from the family how much she loved her spouse, he wanted to get to know his new brother-in-law for himself. Unfortunately, he had to get back home to his pregnant wife and it would have to wait until the next time he visited for the meeting to happen.

Haley finished her meditation and flopped back on the couch, finally letting herself think back to the morning she'd spent with her husband. It seemed like a dream, or at least like a long time ago, the long day seeming more like a week to her tired mind. If she didn't still have marks on her body to prove it, she could almost believe the most amazing experience of her life hadn't happened at all. Her thoughts drifted back to those events and she felt herself growing warm at the memories of his hands and lips on her body, the way he'd looked at her, touched her , made her feel. She admitted that she'd thought about it often throughout the day, usually at inconvenient times, and now that she was home, she was anxious for him to return for the promised repeat.

The previous night had been the result of a rush of adrenaline and need to feel him, to not waste another moment after the reminder that life is so short. It had been impulsive and heady and full of need. Tonight though, there was too much time to think, to worry, to be nervous. She bit her lip in doubt, looking down at her jeans and sweater. Should she change into something to wait for him? Would he expect her to? She decided to at least slip into something a little more casual and headed to her, _or was it their?,_ room. Looking through her drawers she realized she didn't have the type of garment she was looking for. She'd always worn a t-shirt and pajama pants to bed, not ever considering what she looked like. The only guy who'd ever seen her in them was Lucas and she'd never worried about what he thought, but now she was concerned about looking too...frumpy in front of her husband. She didn't want him to think she'd changed her mind about being with him. She moved over to her closet and picked her way through her clothes. She had pushed everything to the side and considered allowing Brooke to take her shopping for some new things when she remembered the bag tucked under her underwear. Her friend had given it to her as a wedding gift and she'd been embarrassed to even consider wearing it at the time, but now she had to give it a thought. The brunette had assured her it was something her husband would like, but she wasn't sure she could convince herself to actually put it on. She pulled it out and looked at it, wishing she were more daring, more comfortable with putting herself on display. She couldn't bring herself to put it on and put it back in the hiding spot, hoping to find the nerve to do so someday. She sat on the bed as a brief moment of insecurity threatened to overcome her and she pushed it down. She might not be ready to dress up and play the seductress, but Nathan had made it pretty clear to her that he was enjoying himself with her none the less. She grabbed a camisole and pair of boxer shorts and changed into them instead. It was a far cry from what she'd been contemplating, but less than she had ever worn (the previous night not counting in her mind) before. She wasn't going to let herself stress over it, after all, she had an entire lifetime to dress up for him.

Liking that thought, she threw her hair up into a messy bun and went back out into the living room to wait for him to come home. She grabbed her literature book and started to read, figuring she should at least try to get some homework done while she waited and knowing that Macbeth would certainly draw her mind away from her own worries for a while. She grabbed one of her husband's zip up hoodies and slid it over her shoulders, loving that she could smell him on it. She rubbed the fabric against her face and then straightened her shoulders. She had to get some work done, so where was she? Oh there it was, one of her favorite parts. _Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more._

* * *

"You were awesome tonight," Lucas couldn't seem to stop gushing over his brother's performance. "I knew you were good, but man...that was unreal."

Nathan shrugged as they got out of the car, "It would've been better if I hadn't missed that last foul shot. There's a reason why those are called free throws."

"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous. The game was basically over by then anyway," Lucas rolled his eyes. He was already aware his brother was a perfectionist when it came to the game, but after a performance like that, it was just nitpicking.

"You did pretty well yourself," Nathan was quick to remind the shorter boy, "Whitey said the scout from Wake was asking about you."

"Really?" Lucas was surprised, "I didn't even know anyone was there."

"Would you be interested?" Nathan asked as he opened the door with his key. He knew his brother had dreams of being a Tarheel, but a scholarship was a chance to play.

"I mean, sure, if they offered. It's no UNC, but it's a good school and it would still be pretty close to home," Lucas shook his head, "I don't really want to get my hopes up though. If something happens, I'll think about it then."

"That's probably a good plan," Nathan agreed, pushing the door open. "Haley?" he called, "Honey, I'm home..."

"She's sleeping you idiot," Lucas was the first to notice the figure curled up on the couch, her book still in her lap.

"Hmmm," she stirred, rubbing her eyes and blinking several times, "I'm awake."

"Well you weren't a minute ago," the blonde shook his head, "he," he gestured to his brother, "has a big mouth."

"S'okay," she smiled, reaching up toward her husband, "How did it go? Did you win"

"It went pretty well," Nathan picked her up and sat down, placing her on his lap and wrapping his arms around her.

"And?" Lucas didn't understand why Nathan wasn't more excited about what he'd done at the game. If he'd had stats like the ones his brother put up, he'd be shouting them from the rooftops.

"And we won," Nathan added, brushing her hair out of her face. "How was your day? How's your dad?"

The conversation flowed around that topic for a while as Haley filled them in on the day's events and any family news she'd learned that day. "Taylor apparently has a boyfriend."

"So? She always has boys, usually in her bed," Lucas shrugged. He'd known the girl most of his life and knew her reputation. "Has she started recycling them or did she find a rock with a few guys under it she hasn't had yet?"

"Luke," Haley chided her friend. She knew he had reason to think that way, but Taylor was still her sister and she was trying to change her life, "the reason I mentioned it, is she has had the same one, and only one, for over a month now. She just finally told us because she knew we'd expect it to be one of her usual flings and she didn't want us to put it down. I think she really likes this guy."

"Hmm," Lucas was admittedly surprised, "he does realize who he's dating, right?"

"You suck Lucas Scott," Haley threw a pillow at him before leaning back against her husband's chest. "I'm happy for her. She's really been there for me lately and she deserves to be happy.""

Lucas sighed and Nathan finally added his opinion, "I think seeing us get married might've given her a wake-up call about what really matters. I hope it works out for them."

"Thank you," Haley leaned up and kissed him before cuddling back against his chest. "You're so sweet."

Lucas rolled his eyes as he watched his brother smirk above her head, "Okay, that's about as much of your mushiness as I can take," he stood up and stretched his back. "I'm going to go home, raid the fridge, and finish my paper so I can get to bed at a decent hour. I still don't know how you get up so easily," he looked back at his brother. "I know you swear it's worth it, but 6 am just comes too fast for me. See you tomorrow for our run?"

"Umm," Nathan looked down for a moment, "I don't think so."

Lucas looked stunned, his brother never turned down a running partner. "I swear, I'll be on time and won't even complain...too much."

"It's not that," Nathan couldn't help the smile that came over his face, "I think I'll just have something...better to do."

Lucas narrowed his eyes and then noticed his best friend's blush, "Okay, now I'm getting out of here before you scar me for life."

Haley watched him exit before she started to laugh, pressing her face into Nathan's chest, "his face was priceless."

"Mmm hmm, but I'm glad he's gone," he turned her around to face him and she found herself straddling his lap, "Have I told you I really like it when you wear my clothes?"

"Really?" she whispered as he traced a column down her neck to slip under the edge of her tank top. _Was it suddenly hot in there?_

"Definitely," he grinned, "but you have too many clothes on underneath."

Haley bit her lip, her eyes closing as her breathing became ragged, "Then maybe you should help me fix that," she found herself flirting back, surprised at the burst of courage, but the darkening of his blue eyes that resulted was worth the effort.

"As you wish," he lifted her off his lap and reached for her hand, leading her toward their room. They were the last intelligible words spoken for several hours.

* * *

Nathan and Haley sat with his mother at the small table in her kitchen, eating dinner from the kitchen downstairs. Haley had already learned Quentin's mother was a good cook, but the meal in front of her was one of the best she'd ever had. Ill or no, she didn't understand how Deb could be so thin with that food so easily accessible all the time.

"This chicken is amazing," she closed her eyes to savor the bite. "I would weigh a ton if I lived here."

"Yeah right," Nathan shook his head, wiping his mouth, "half the time, you forget to eat at all."

"Well I wouldn't if it always smelled like this," she winked over at him. "My mouth was watering before I even tried any of it. I would love coming home to this kind of food."

"I cook for you," Nathan pretended to pout, "I even asked your mom for some of her recipes, I just haven't had time to try any new ones yet."

"Did you get her dumpling soup?" Haley asked, all else suddenly forgotten at the possibility of her all-time favorite food. "Did she really give it to you?"

"I don't know, maybe," Nathan crossed his arms as he watched his wife bounce up and down like a little kid, the excitement on her face real. "What do I get out of it?"

"I'll show you later," she grinned, "So did she really?"

Nathan nodded and she clapped her hands together in excitement. "Just wait until you try it. It's the only thing I have ever had that rivals this."

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Sometimes it amazed him that without even looking, he'd found the perfect person to spend his life with. He'd encountered so many high maintenance girls that wanted him because of his celebrity on campus or because he had the potential to be an NBA player someday. Some only wanted him because of a bet or because of his looks. Haley didn't care about that, she cared about him. She loved him for who he was, not what he could bring her. She found such joy in the simplest of things, her favorite food, holding hands as they walked down the boardwalk, cuddling in bed on Sunday morning, watching movies together... things that so many people seemed to take for granted. Things that he admitted he'd overlooked, his busy schedule and dedication to basketball making him blind to much of what he now held most dear.

"What?" she asked, tilting her head to look at him, "Do I have something on my face?"

He realized he'd been staring at her while he thought and shook his head, "Nope," his smile widened at her look of confusion, "just thinking."

"Really? You were looking pretty serious Mr. Scott," Haley tilted up an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?"

"Not until later," Nathan wiggled his eyebrows, causing Haley's face to flush in embarrassment and Deb to smile. She enjoyed the play between the two teens, glad that her son was looking so carefree. Even if she knew that he was still having a hard time with things, the fact that he could put it aside and look so happy was more that she would've hoped for. It was the most open she'd seen him with anyone other than Quentin in years. She stood, deciding to let them have their privacy while she cleaned the dishes.

"Oh no," Haley saw what she was doing and jumped up to help, "Let me do them."

"There's no reason for that," Deb waved her off, "I haven't ever let a guest do the dishes and I'm not going to start now. It'll only take a few minutes and you've had a long trip."

"It's really not any trouble," Haley still tried, "I don't mind."

Deb shook her head, ready to refuse once again when Nathan spoke up, "I'll do them. There, that's settled. Now you can both go rest."

The two women looked at each other and shrugged, "Well, since you offered..."

* * *

Nathan finished the dishes and headed for the living room, only to realize what he was walking in on. "He wore that jersey for almost two weeks before I was able to get it off of him. By that time, it practically stood on its own it was so filthy..."

His wife and mother were sitting together on the couch, their laps and the coffee table in front of them covered in photo albums. "He was so cute that it was hard to tell him no."

"I can believe that," he heard Haley say, "When my nieces are around all the men are wrapped around their fingers. They are just impossible to turn down for anything."

"He was always so good," Deb added, "and there wasn't much I could give him. It was so hard to take away the few things I could. I wanted him to have the world and yet a dirty shirt was what he ended up getting."

"He doesn't care about any of that. He was lucky to have you," Haley put her hand on the older woman's back. "He knows how much you've done for him and he loves you so much."

His phone rang and he stepped back into the kitchen, glad for a reprieve from the emotional conversation in the other room. "Hello?" he answered, surprised to find that it was his brother. "Hey Luke," he leaned against the counter as he held the phone to his ear. He picked up his glass from the table and took another sip of his water, "How was practice?"

"You're lucky you weren't there," the blond replied, "Whitey decided we looked tired last game and decided to make us do extra suicides. I'm not sure I can even feel my legs at this point."

"Oooh, sorry man. I've been there." Nathan vividly remembered his first week at Oak Lake. He and Quentin had always been the stars of their teams since they were small. They thought they were in great shape and ready for anything. That is, until they hit what the older players affectionately called "Hell Week." It had consisted of 2 practices a day, one of which focused on strength and the other conditioning. Apparently, every year the freshman came in and got their butts whooped the first couple of weeks until they were able to get themselves in the type of shape the rest of the team already maintained. It was a right of passage, and a tutorial on how to maintain your body and what being in basketball shape really meant. It was a lesson he'd learned well and the biggest reason why he was never the one lagging behind. "Make sure you drink a lot of water and stay stretched..."

"Yeah, yeah," Lucas knew the drill, he'd heard it from him enough when they'd started working out together in the summer. Sometimes, he wondered who was older since Nathan was the one most likely to nag. "I'm being a good boy."

The conversation dwindled for a minute and Nathan wondered if that was the only reason why his brother had called, to complain. "I um," Lucas broke the silence, "I also wanted to find out if you knew anything yet...about your petition."

Nathan smiled at the brotherly admission, one of the first that centered around anything other than basketball or Haley. "I finally talked to the judge, and it seemed like it went okay, but now we have to wait for a ruling. That could take anywhere from hours to months unfortunately, but it gives us a chance and at least I feel like I'm doing something."

"You've been doing everything possible," Lucas couldn't help but be proud of the way Nathan had handled the hand he'd been dealt. "Your mom knows that. How is she by the way?"

Nathan thought back to the way she'd been minutes earlier, laughing and smiling with his wife. She'd looked happy in a way he hadn't seen her in a long time, but she'd also looked exhausted and like she'd lost a few of the pounds she'd managed to gain back. "She's hanging in there," he smiled. "She loves Haley."

"Parent's always do," Lucas acknowledged, "she's smart, beautiful, kind...she's exactly what most people dream of in a daughter."

"She's pretty amazing," Nathan agreed. It was funny, until that moment he really hadn't thought of her as a new daughter, but he was sure his mother saw her that way. It was no wonder the two were thick as thieves. He heard the two of them laughing from the other room and decided he needed to check it out. There was only so much humiliation he'd willingly take in one night. "Thanks for calling Luke, but I have to go. There is way too much laughing in the other room to be about anything other than me. I need to go see if I need to hide my face for a while."

Lucas laughed and Nathan knew his brother would be asking Haley for any stories he could get out of her, "I'll talk to you later. Thanks for calling," Nathan couldn't find it in him to be upset over it. His two favorite people in the world were having a great time together and at his expense or not, their laughter was the best sound he'd heard in a long time.

* * *

"I'm so glad the two of you found each other," Deb told her daughter-in-law, reaching for her hand. "I've been worried the two of you and how all this happened, but you both seem so happy."

"We are," Haley gave the older woman a gentle squeeze. "I love him."

"I can see that it's very much reciprocated," Deb smiled. "I'm glad you're there for him. He gets closed off sometimes, but contrary to his belief, he needs someone to keep him from being too serious, too isolated. I know that if the worst should happen and..."

"I don't want to hear that," Haley shook her head, "We're going to get you through all this."

"I hope so," Deb agreed, not letting the younger woman stop her, "but this has been going on for long enough that I've had to come to grips with many things I never thought I would. One of them is the fact that I will most likely leave this earth long before ever expected to. For a while I was scared of that, but now Nathan has a father and a brother, a real family. Most importantly, he has you."

"He has both of us," Haley wiped a tear from her eye, "and we're doing everything we can to keep it that way."

* * *

"I really love your mom," Haley was laying against her husband, tracing circles on his bare chest. They were sleeping in his childhood room and the tiny twin bed barely big enough for Nathan's long lanky frame. The addition of his wife made for a tight squeeze, but the newlyweds didn't mind the forced closeness. "I can understand why you've always been so close to her. She's amazing."

"Yeah," Nathan rubbed his hand along her side absentmindedly, "I've really thought about my life a lot the last few months and as much as I felt like I was missing things growing up, you know, things like not having a dad, or money, or whatever, I've come to realize I was actually incredibly lucky to have someone who loves me so much...who made so many sacrifices for me. It's pretty humbling."

"I know what you mean," Haley sighed, "I looked at some of my friends growing up, especially Lucas, and wondered why I couldn't afford things like they had or get the kind of attention they had from their parents, but when Luke and Dan went through a rough patch, I realized that there were downsides to all that attention too. When my dad was in the hospital we all sat around and reminisced and I realized that my family isn't perfect, but my parents have done their best and I love my brothers and sisters. I wouldn't trade any of it for having more money or more time to myself."

"And someday, maybe we can have our own family...preferably somewhere in between the extremes of our parents."

Haley laughed, "Yeah, I have no intention of having 6 kids...that's just crazy...but I would love to have a couple little Nathans running around someday."

"Ha, they'd be monsters. I'd rather little girls like you," he told her. "Curly blonde hair and big brown eyes that they use to wrap me around their little fingers."

"Hmmm," Haley couldn't help but smile at the idea, "I think you'd be great with either."

"I'd like to think so...someday," he kissed the top of her head. "I just can't accept the idea that my mom might not be around to meet them. She'd be such an awesome grandma. It's just not fair."

Haley felt her heart break a little at how deeply this illness had affected every aspect of their little family's lives. "None of this is fair," she didn't know how to help him when she didn't understand herself, "but your mom was just telling me earlier that she believes everything happens for a reason. She pointed out that if it weren't for her illness you might not have ever met your dad or Luke and if someday you did, you still might not have ever met me." She paused as she thought about how to word the next sentence, carefully wiping away a tear before it fell against him. "She said that she would go through all of it all over again to know that you'd found the person you were supposed to be with...that makes you happy. That's all she's ever wanted, you know. Her greatest wish is for you to be happy."

"And I am," he closed his eyes, "but I want her to be a part of it with me. God, I must sound like a whiny brat."

"No," Haley smiled softly, "I was the same way a few days ago when I thought I might lose my dad. I think it's only natural and just shows how much you love her."

"I love you too," he whispered. "More than I ever thought possible. I can't imagine how I would've survived these last few months without you."

"You would've found a way, because that's who you are Nathan Scott. It might be easier with my help, but you'd manage on your own if you had to. You're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

He kissed her on the temple, "I'm glad that's one question I won't have to answer. You're stuck with me now, and I'm never letting go."

"I won't ever want to," Haley promised, "this is exactly where I want to be, forever."

* * *

"Do you really think you can get at that money? It looks like lost cause to me," the man didn't really believe what he was being told and he was sick of waiting for his due. "This better not just be another delay tactic. The only thing that gives you any hope is I'd much rather have the money than another body to get rid of."

The other man rubbed his finger under the neck of his collar, the sweat dripping down his face soaking the already tight material. "I swear, I have someone close to them willing to help and we have a good plan. I don't see any way it fails this time. Good, because this is your last chance. If you don't at least have a clear avenue to the money in the next month, you can kiss it and your life goodbye."

He hung up the phone and turned to the person in his office, his eyes narrowing as he considered them closely. He really hoped the plan worked as well as they thought it would, or neither of them would be none too long for this Earth because if he went down, he was going alone.


	45. Chapter 45

I'm so sorry things have been so slow. I've had no time to write and what little time I have had, I've really struggled with these last few chapters. I'm not giving up and I will finish this, I just need a little more patience. Spring break is finally coming soon and hopefully that will give me a little time to relax and get some writing done. As for this chapter, I re-wrote it several times and finally just decided to post it before I end up taking another month on it. Sorry if there are any mistakes, I didn't want to take a chance on changing my mind again if I went through it one more time.

 **Ch 45**

Haley woke slowly, her eyes barely able to open in the soft light of the early morning. She sighed and then felt her lips curl into a smile as she became aware of the now common sensation of her husband tracing the tattooed skin of her back with his tongue. He'd been touched and admittedly aroused the first time he'd seen the small black numbers and since then had been constantly drawn to the sight of his number permanently marked on her body.

"It's a good thing I didn't know about this before we got married," he paused to whisper, his hands massaging her thighs, slowly rising higher until she felt herself moving back against his hands, "I wouldn't have been able to keep my hands off you. It was hard enough as it was."

Haley groaned, both at the feel of his hands and the unintentional pun. She turned her head to look back at him as she teased, "I think I'm aware of what it does to you."

"I don't know Hales, I have lots of things I haven't shown you yet," he wiggled his eyebrows at her, kissing his way up her body he rolled to her back before finally finding her mouth. The kiss deepened and just as Nathan's hands made their way to her breasts, her alarm went off.

"Ugh," she felt herself sigh as she reached over and shut it off. "That stupid thing has really bad timing."

"We don't have to get up yet," Nathan pulled her back against him, pressing his morning erection against her. "You know you don't want me to stop. We can be quick."

He was right, Haley admitted to herself, she definitely didn't want that, but she had to be strong. "You always say that, and it never happens. I've missed first period twice this week and we have a lab today. I can't miss it."

Nathan rolled over and admitted defeat. As much as he wanted to stay in bed all day, he knew how important her schooling was to her and he didn't want to jeopardize what she'd worked so hard for just because he couldn't control himself around her.

"Fine, but do we really need to know the atomic number of plutonium?" he complained, grumpy at his fun being interrupted. "It's not like I'll ever use it for anything."

"Maybe not, but some of us are planning on using our brains for a living and we need to know that kind of stuff. Besides, you can't play tonight unless you go."

"Whitey was young once, he'd understand," Nathan grinned, but slid out of bed and walked to his dresser to pull out clothes for the day, knowing Haley wouldn't fall for his last second effort. "Can we at least take our shower together?"

Haley looked over at the clock, biting her lip as she considered, balancing her desire against the rational part of her that reminded her she couldn't afford to be late again. Closing her eyes, she pushed that part away, "I know I'm probably going to regret this, but why not?"

Nathan picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, lightly smacking her bare bottom on the way, "I swear, you won't regret a second of it."

He was right, she admitted as they arrived at school an hour later, she didn't regret a thing.

* * *

Haley sat on the floor before cheerleading practice, her legs spread out in front of her as she stretched out her stiff body. She'd discovered many muscles she didn't even realize she had over the previous weeks with her lusty, adventurous husband. At the moment, she was feeling the effects of their shower tryst that morning, a smile coming to her face despite the discomfort. She never thought she would be such a sexual being. She'd actually thought maybe there was something wrong with her that it was so easy to abstain, but after meeting Nathan, she'd learned that she just hadn't met the right person to awaken it in her. Now that she had, she understood the lure her friends had always talked about.

She looked out at the court where the boys were finishing their practice and enjoyed the view of her husband's sweaty, shirtless body. Unfortunately , she wasn't the only one thus occupied and had to remind herself that she was the only one that got to do more than just look.

"What a complete waste," Rachel said to Theresa, making sure Haley could hear her. "I bet she has no idea what to do with a body like that. Does she really think she's going to hold his interest for long?"

Brooke started to stand up and defend her friend, sick of the red-head's constant snotty comments, but the blonde held her back, "It's not worth it."

"You'd think after he made it known he wasn't interested, she'd stop embarrassing herself by bringing it up," Brooke resettled herself and finished warming up. "Everyone realizes she's just jealous."

"That's why I just ignore it. If I react, she knows she's bothering me," Haley stood and took off her hoodie, leaving herself in a tank top like most of the other girls. She brushed her hair up into a ponytail before winking at her friend, "Besides, she has every reason to be jealous..."

"Oooh," Brooke giggled, her dimples showing as she followed her friend to the bleachers. "Tutor girls is getting spunky..."

"I guess some of Nathan's confidence is rubbing off on me," Haley shrugged. " I know what matters to me and I don't have the time or energy to care about people like her anymore. In a few months, we're all out of here and she won't matter one bit in my future. "

"It would still be fun to take her down a peg," Peyton came up and joined the conversation. She pointed over toward the court and the girls watched as Rachel grabbed the loose ball that had bounced their way, making sure to lean over and give Lucas and Nathan, as the two closest players, a bird's eye view of her assets. "Stuff like that drives me crazy."

To make the scene better though, neither boy came to take it from her, instead waiting for Skills to come over and do so for them. The put out redhead pouted but quickly masked the brief sign of hurt and flounced back over. "Let's get practice started," she put her hands on her hips, "some of us have important things to do tonight."

"I bet she has a date with her vibrator, since neither of the guys she wants are interested," Brooke laughed quietly to her friends, her mood improved as she directed the girls to go to their spots. An angry Rachel was a pain to deal with, but it was so worth it.

* * *

Rachel took another glass of champagne from a passing waiter before quickly ducking into the hallway to drink it. Technically, she wasn't allowed to partake since she was underage, but most of the waiters either though she was old enough, or that they had a chance of seeing what was under her dress, and gave her the bubbly beverage. A few seconds of flirting and they were putty in her hands.

Too quickly she was done with her drink and walked through the ballroom, making sure her parents saw her be friendly to a couple of their business associates, and then detoured to the ladies room. She hated these stuffy get togethers that her parents forced her to attend, her sole purpose to look pretty and draw the attention of some of her father's cronies. If she had any self-respect left, she'd be horrified by the idea of men older than her father ogling her and hoping to make her their next trophy wife. However, since she'd been doing this since she first came into her figure, she'd been paraded around to the point where nothing seemed abnormal anymore. In fact, with the way most guys her age looked and acted, she'd be satisfied marrying an old geezer who'd die after a few years and leave her all his money.

She sat on a chair inside the washroom and pulled out her phone to check the time, groaning when she realized she'd have to stay for at least another hour before her parents would let her head home. Apparently, that was the time they had decided the old men were sloshed enough to openly ogle her, but also soon after too gone to notice that she'd left. She'd have to make at least one more circuit of the room and then she could go home and scrub all their leers off her skin.

"It won't be much longer before he's mine," a girl stumbled into the room, giggling with her friend, "I met someone who is willing to help and even has a plan. All I have to offer to donate blood or something and he won't have any other choice but to marry me. He'll fall all over himself to save his mother and then all that money will be mine."

"You better hope so," the other girl seemed skeptical, "because I can't afford to keep giving you money. My parents cut me off last night."

Rachel rolled her eyes and stood, straightening her dress and then with a resigned sigh, fixing her lipstick in the nearby mirror. She felt sorry for whoever they were talking about. She knew girls like that, in fact, she was a girl like that. She knew they would do anything to get what they wanted, no matter who it hurt. At least it wasn't her problem. Her problem for the moment was keeping her parents off her back. In that vein, she needed to get back out there before her parents noticed her extended break and she was the one cut off. These nights were the only time they remembered she existed and she just had to get through it before they'd leave her to do whatever she wanted again. She couldn't wait until she was 18 and got a piece of her trust fund. As much as she enjoyed being rich, she was sick of cowing to other people. Once she was in control, she promised to never bow to any of those people again.

* * *

Nathan and Haley walked through the door of their apartment with big smiles on their faces, dropping their bags on the couch before sharing a long kiss. "That was another great game babe," Haley stepped back a step, her hands fiddling with his tie, "I can't believe how much you've turned this team around."

"You know it's not just me," Nathan reminded her, "all the guys have worked their tails off..."

"I wouldn't know," Haley teased, "yours is the only tail I have any interest in."

Nathan rolled his eyes, but laughed as she'd hoped, "It's a good you don't plan on being a comedian Hales. Your routine needs some work."

She pretended to pout, but leaned back in to give him a quick kiss before heading into the kitchen, "I guess that means you don't want me to cook you some..." she was interrupted by the ringing of Nathan's cell phone.

"Who would be calling?" Nathan asked as he pulled it out of his coat pocket, "We just left most of the people we know at the school..."

He answered and his face immediately became serious, drawing Haley back to his side. "Tomorrow?" he asked after a few minutes of listening. "Um..." he paused and she could see him thinking, "I'll find a way to get there. Thanks for calling. This is great news."

He hung up and Haley waited for an explanation, "I can't believe it," he whispered. By the look on his face, she wouldn't have guessed it was good news at all, he shook his head as if to clear it and then his face finally lit up in a smile.

"That was Patrick," he explained, pulling her close against his chest. "The judge hasn't ruled on letting me donate yet, but he did write an order for me to go ahead and get the testing done. This means he's really considering it and if I'm a match, we might be able to end all of this soon."

"That's great," Haley wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tight, "What's tomorrow?"

"They want me to go get it done as soon as I can," he still looked a little dazed, "I'll have to talk to Dan because I'm supposed to go with him to Charlotte."

"I think he'd understand," Haley pointed out, "and you could probably get it done there if you wanted."

Nathan nodded, but the smile had fallen from his face and his wife noticed, "Did he say something else? You don't seem as excited as I thought you'd be."

"I guess it just doesn't seem real," he told her, his eyes narrowing in thought, "I've been so sure this would work, but now I'm scared. What if I'm not a match?"

"Then we'll figure something else out," Haley had been worried about his overwhelming confidence just weeks earlier, but now she was the one trying to keep him from being dejected before he had a reason to be. "Whatever happens, we won't give up until your mom is healthy again. I promise, we'll do whatever it takes for that to happen."

* * *

Nathan took in the auto show with what his brother thought was an amusing amount of child-like wonder. He'd never been a huge car geek, but he didn't think anyone could be anything but amazed at what was in front of him.

"Is that really a Lamborghini?" he whispered to Lucas, not wanting to look like the newbie he was in front of all of the people standing around talking with his father. "I've never seen one in person."

"Of all the things here, that's what you're most impressed with?" Lucas chuckled. He'd been attending these events since he was a small child and had to admit he'd become a bit of a car snob. "I've driven one, so I guess it isn't such a big deal to me."

Nathan shook his head at the reminder of how different their lives had been, but this time it didn't come with quite the same sense of bitterness it usually did. He'd have to put that away to think about later, but for now he just wanted to enjoy the experience.

"Must have been awesome," he found himself saying. "I'd love to get the chance someday."

Dan rejoined them, his group of buddies having dispersed, and they headed toward another section of the huge convention center. Half way there, they were waylaid by an attractive brunette, one that both Dan and Lucas seemed to know, but be cautious with.

"Hey, look at the always hot Scotts," she flirted, reaching forward as if to touch the eldest one in the chest before pulling back, "I heard there was a new member and boy he doesn't disappoint."

She moved over to Nathan and blatantly ogled him, causing his face to turn a bit red, "You boys sure do breed true, don't you? Nathan is it?"

"What do you want Jules?" Lucas couldn't hide the distrust in his voice as he drew the attention away from his confused and uncomfortable brother.

"I was just hoping to run into your uncle," she turned to the blonde, "I don't remember him ever missing one of these."

"Keith is...busy doing other things for the business right now," Dan stepped in. He didn't trust the woman before him, but he didn't want to make enemies with her either. As a widow, she owned more than one of the companies that Dan did business with and while an insult would feel good, it wouldn't be worth burning any bridges.

Her late husband had been a friend of his, but he'd always found her distasteful. She'd flirted with his brother for years, even before her husband passed, but once she became a widow, she'd stepped it up even further. Keith had always played along, but never seemed like he took it seriously, and Dan had been glad for his brother's discernment. Although, with what he knew now, he had to admit his pride in his brother putting her off was tempered by the acknowledgement of why.

"You know as well as anyone how much work there is to do around a place like ours," Dan made excuses, not wanting anyone to know about the family falling out. "He volunteered to take this one off so I could enjoy my first chance to bring both of my sons with me."

She narrowed her eyes as though she knew there was more to the story, but seemed to make the decision to let it go for the moment. "Well, I suppose I'll let you have your family time," she pulled out her best smile and then winked at them, "Maybe someday, I'll be included in that."

She walked away and Nathan watched her with a look of pure confusion. "Who was that?"

"Someone you don't want to know," Dan wanted to scrub his arm where she'd touched him. "She's been after Keith for years, but she flirts with anything in pants. She's gorgeous, and yet somehow I've always found her creepy. If you ever see her again, be careful. You can't trust her."

"Why don't you just say she's a crazy, manipulative, bitch?" Lucas asked. "She came onto me when I was like 12. Scared the crap out of me."

Nathan laughed at the mental image, "Okay, that's enough info for me. So, avoid when possible? Got it."

They continued on, Dan eventually separating to talk more seriously with a few people while the boys walked on, Lucas enjoying seeing the various displays from a different perspective as he acted as guide. It was the first significant portion of time the boys had spent together that didn't revolve around basketball or Haley and they both found themselves enjoying it.

"Haley?"

"Hmmm?" Nathan looked up from his phone at the sound of her name. "What? Where?"

"No, I was asking if that's who keeps texting you. You get this goofy grin every time you look at that thing," Lucas gestured to the phone in his brother's hand . "You are so whipped."

"No I'm not," Nathan paused for a moment and then shrugged, "Okay, maybe I am, but I can accept that. It feels pretty good actually."

"You two are almost sickening," Lucas pretended to gag. "If it I were anyone else, I'd probably be angry, but it's really nice to see Haley so happy. You too. People always say it's hard, but you too make it look so easy."

"It's not," Nathan admitted, "not always anyway, but it's so worth it. I didn't even know her 8 months ago, but now I want to be with her every second. I can't imagine my life without her."

"Okay," Lucas accepted what he was being told, "but do you have to keep being so cutesy? You could at least pretend to be a normal teenager sometimes. You're making the rest of us guys look bad."

Nathan laughed, "sorry, but I'm not going to forgo the perks of being married and in love just to make your life easier. It's hard enough being away from her today when Saturday is normally one of the days we get to see each other the most."

"What's she doing today anyway? I didn't see her on the work schedule?" Luke asked. "She cooped up working on her essays."

"Actually, she's spending the day with her parents. That's why she keeps texting, she's been sending me funny things they say or do. Even laid up, her dad is hilarious."

"Okay, now you have to share. What did he do this time?" Nathan handed over his phone and Lucas started reading through the texts, laughing as he did so. "Life is definitely never boring when they're around."

* * *

Nathan walked in after practice, his steps heavy with exhaustion, and his heavy bag down near the door. It had been a grueling practice and all he wanted to do was eat and then head straight to bed.

"Hales?" he called as he headed into the kitchen to make a sandwich. "You here?"

"I'll be out in a second," she responded from the bathroom, her voice echoing in the small room. "There's mac n cheese in the oven."

Surprised with the unexpected warm meal so late, he immediately reached for the oven to pull out the warm, creamy food. His wife's favorite and now that he'd had it her way, one of his own.

"Thanks," he told her as she joined him, kissing him on the cheek and grabbing him a bottle of water from the fridge. "No problem," she shrugged. "I knew you'd be extra hungry tonight. Whitey had that look in his eyes all day."

"We deserved it," Nathan finished filling his bowl and sat, letting his weight fall heavily on the stool. "We played like crap last night."

Haley wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, resting her head on his shoulder. "You had 30 points."

"But I wasn't as focused as I should've been. We should've beat that team," he took a bite of his food, closing his eyes as the creamy cheese taste hit his tongue. He chewed and swallowed, "I had too many careless turnovers. I let them down."

Haley started to rub his tense shoulders, "You're under a lot of stress," she pushed down on a knot she could clearly feel, causing him to groan. "No one expects you to be perfect..."

"You don't get it Hales," he turned to look at her. "That's exactly what they expect out of me. Anything less than my best is failure, for all of us. They are counting on me...the scouts are still watching...I haven't heard about my bloodwork or been given any official paperwork from Kentucky..."

She ran her hands through his hair and he leaned his head against her chest. "I feel like I'm swimming against the current and if something doesn't change soon, I'll drown."

"Well that's just silly," she told him, drawing a look at what sounded like a rather harsh response, "I'm a great swimmer. I'd never let that happen."

He gave a half smile at her comment, knowing she was only half joking. He knew she'd be there for him every step of the way. It was one of the reasons he'd fallen in love with her so desperately. Her strength and devotion to those she loved awed him. "I'm a little heavy for you," he teased.

"Are you trying to say I'm weak?" she put out her arms. "I'll have you know these arms have taken on many a guy bigger than you." She pretended she was going to punch him. "You wanna put it to the test?"

He laughed then, pulling her against him, "You always know how to make me feel better. I love you Hales."

"Love you too," she kissed him on the forehead, "now eat your food, so I can finish that massage."

"Mmmm, and then?"

"And then you can show me how much better you feel," she grinned.

"I like the way you think Mrs. Scott," his heart felt so much lighter in her presence, he didn't know how he ever lived without her. "It might take a while though."

"We have all night."

* * *

"What's bothering you Haley-Bob?" her mother came over and wrapped her arm around the younger girl's shoulder. "You should be at school, not here. Did Nathan do something?"

"No, he's been amazing," she responded, feeling her face flush at all the reasons she felt that way, "It's just...he went and took the donor blood test and I got a call just after he left for morning practice. He's not a match and I don't know how he'll handle it. It means so much to him and he's already stressed..." she sighed. "He's going to be heartbroken and I keep feeling like there's something else I should be doing to help, but I can't figure out what."

"I think you're doing plenty," her mother led her to a chair and they sat down. "All you can really do is be there for him, whatever happens."

"But what if she dies? If he can't save her, I don't know if he'll ever be able to forgive himself," Haley wasn't sure how she knew it, but she was convinced he'd blame himself for his inability to stop the disease, despite it being far beyond his control. "I don't want to lose him to his pain."

"I don't know what to tell you sweetheart," her mother admitted, "the best thing is make sure he knows you love him and don't let him pull away into himself. You have to let him grieve, but try to keep him from giving up. I'm just as worried about you. As selfish as it may seem, you have to take care of yourself too. If he gets too low, you can't let him pull you down with him."

"I can't worry about myself right now. I don't even know what to say, how to tell him that after everything he's been through, he might have to let his mom go too. How do I get him through this?"

"You don't do it by yourself," her mother reached out and took her hands, "you lean on those who love both of you and trust that things will work out the way they are supposed to. Everything happens for a reason."

"I've always believed that," Haley took a deep breath and wiped away a stray tear, "but it's not fair. He deserves so much better. So does she."

"Life's not fair," her mother ran her fingers over her daughter's hair, "but remember, he has you and that makes him luckier than most people in this world."


	46. Chapter 46

I'm sorry it's been so long. I won't spend a lot of time explaining why I've been away, but two deaths in the family and a pretty serious health diagnosis have highlighted what's been a very busy and rough couple of months. The last few days have really been the first time I've even thought about fanfiction recently and it has been harder than expected to pick it back up. Thank you for all your patience and hopefully this isn't too rough (I admit I didn't edit as much as usual because I was afraid it would end up being another month if I did). I still plan on getting this thing finished, just no real timetable for that at the moment.

* * *

46

"He still isn't home yet," Haley paced her living room nervously, her lip sore from constantly worrying it with her teeth. Her stomach was in knots as she held the phone tightly in her hand, "Are you sure he didn't say anything to you?"

"I'm sure. He was putting up extra shots after practice and probably just lost track of time. You know what a perfectionist he can be," Lucas rolled his eyes at his friend, glad she couldn't see him through the phone. He wouldn't appreciate the punch she'd probably hit him with. "Don't worry so much Hales. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself."

She knew that, he was as capable as anyone she knew, but it seemed like too much of a coincidence that it would happen today with the news she was sitting on. Patrick had promised he'd let her tell her husband the results, but that didn't mean he hadn't found out the bad news some other way and she didn't know how he'd react. She wanted to be there for him if he broke down. "I know, but it doesn't feel right. He's usually very good about letting me know if he's going to be late."

"Are you sure there isn't something else going on?" Lucas asked again, her anxiety coming through loud and clear. His best friend was normally the calm, collected type so it made him nervous to hear her sound so frazzled, "It isn't like you to freak out over something like him being a little late."

She knew Lucas didn't understand her distress and she wanted to explain it to him, but Nathan deserved to hear it before anyone else. "It's just really important I talk to him. If you hear anything, please let me know."

"I promise," he reassured her, "but I'm sure he'll be home any minute."

"I hope so," Haley sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Thanks Luke. If you do talk to him..." she went through several possible messages in her mind before deciding what she needed to tell him couldn't be said through a messenger, "just tell him I love him and ask him to call."

"I will," Lucas shook his head as he hung up and set his phone down on his desk, turning toward his door to head downstairs to grab some lunch, he muttered, "and this is why getting married in high school is cray-ay-zy."

* * *

Nathan finished his extra workout and made his way to the locker room, deciding to take a shower before heading home. He'd worked himself hard and couldn't bear the thought of climbing into his car still dripping in sweat. Stretching out his sore muscles, he admitted that at least the workout had helped, the time spent pushing himself to his limits improving both his game and his mood. Sometimes, he had to remind himself that he just needed to stop thinking too much and let all this training take control.

He grabbed a towel and was heading past his locker when his phone rang. Figuring it was Haley asking where he was, he picked it up, "Hey babe, I'm still at the school..."

"Um, Mr. Scott?" the voice on the other end asked hesitantly, unsure after the abnormal answer, "Is this Nathan Scott?"

"Oh, yeah, it is," Nathan shook his head at himself in embarrassment. How many times had Haley teased himself that he'd get himself in trouble answering without looking at the caller ID first? He'd have to keep this little exchange to himself or she'd never let him live it down, "Sorry, I thought you were my wife."

"Don't worry Mr. Scott," the woman responded and he could hear the smile in her voice. "It's not the first time that's happened."

"Right," he exhaled, his mind shifting back to the reason for this mystery call, "so...can I help you?"

"I'm calling from the Gaines Cancer Institute to let you know that your test results came in."

"And?" his voice shook and his whole body tensed as his hard earned calm went straight out the window. He fought to steady himself, "Am I a match?"

"Sorry," the woman's voice was soft, "while you are a great candidate for donating, you are not a match to the recipient we tested for."

Nathan dropped the phone and stood there for a moment in silence before he heard the voice calling him and picked it back up, "Mr. Scott?"

"Yeah, sorry, are you sure?" he couldn't help but ask, unable to squash that slim bit of hope that remained alive within him. He'd been so sure this would work, so certain he could save her. What was he supposed to do if he was wrong?

"These tests are very precise. Unfortunately, there are several factors that go into suitability that can disqualify a candidate, that's why it is often so difficult to find a good match. However, there are thousands of other people still on waiting lists. Would you like to be put on the donor list and run through the database to see if you could help anyone else?"

"No," Nathan said absentmindedly, not even able to consider that option at the moment, although he knew later he might, "not right now. Thanks for...uh, letting me know." He ended the call, not wanting to hear anything else the woman had to say, his brain shutting down as his legs collapsed under him and he slid down to the floor. The healthy burn and fatigue in his muscles from the workout had suddenly turned to weariness and pain, but he found he didn't even care enough to try to fix his awkward position. He didn't care about anything at the moment except the pain flaring in his chests and he felt tears well up in his eyes. Turning toward the nearest place to rest, he leaned his side against the row of lockers.

"Damn it," he cried out repeatedly, punching the metal, over and over again, uncaring of the phone shattering in his hand or the blood now dripping all over the floor, "This wasn't supposed to go like this. Not this time..."

"What is going on out here?" Whitey called out as he came into the room, his face falling as he found his star player in such distress. "Nathan," he barely breathed out the word as he rushed to the young man's side, dropping awkwardly to the floor next to him, "What happened son?"

Nathan shook his head for a moment, not meeting the older man's worried eyes, "I failed again," he whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Whitey's brows narrowed in confusion as he reached for the boy's bloodied hand, taking the towel off the bench and attempting to stem the bleeding. "What happened?"

Nathan haltingly explained the call he'd received, still seeming unaware of the state of his hand. Whitey wondered if he even felt it.

"I'm so sorry Nathan," he could feel the anguish of the younger man. "I know what it's like to feel helpless while you watch the person you love most suffer, but I also know that she wouldn't want you to blame yourself. You have to know that none of this is your fault."

"I don't feel like I know anything anymore," Nathan let loose a shuddering breath, trying to slow the tears that were still escaping. "I don't know what to do coach. How will things ever be right again?"

Whitey leaned back against the locker next to him and stretched out his legs, careful to keep pressure on the damaged hand. It would probably need stitches, but the wound in the boy's heart was more urgent at the moment. "Sometimes there's not much you can do except be strong for them and make sure they know how much you love them. Eventually, no matter what happens, we find a way to keep going."

Nathan's face looked bleak as she shook his head and whispered, "I don't know if I can."

Whitey nodded in understanding, "I've been there son. Let me tell you a story..."

* * *

Haley was slipping on her coat when Nathan came in the front door of the apartment, his hair disheveled and his cheeks ruddy from the cool December day.

"Where were you? I've been freaking out trying to find out if something happened to you," Haley found herself blurting out. "I was just coming to start looking for you."

"As you can see," he said, showing her his bandaged hand as he dropped his bag, "I've been busy."

"Nathan," Haley breathed the word, rushing to his side, "What happened? Are you okay? Why didn't you call?"

"I broke my phone," he admitted, carefully shrugging off his coat before pulling it over his hand, "Whitey took me to the hospital, but he doesn't have one and I just didn't think about it..."

Haley led him to the couch and tried to help him get comfortable, moving a pillow to give him a place to rest his hand, "It's fine. You're here now. Do you need ice or anything?"

He shook his head no and she sat on the coffee table in front of him, "Are you okay?"

He paused for a moment before allowing his eyes to meet hers and shook his head again, "Oh Nathan," she let out a heavy sigh, the faint signs of red rims telling her more than any words. "You know?"

"Yeah," he admitted, closing his eyes for a moment, "I didn't react well and" he held up his hand, "I guess this is the result."

"I'm so sorry," she moved to sit next to him, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I think I'm all talked out," he admitted, leaning back and resting his head on the back of the couch. "It doesn't make a difference anyway. I was stupid to have hope. I should've known better."

"It wasn't stupid," Haley defended him, "there's nothing wrong with having faith."

"For me it is," his voice was angry for a moment before falling off, "It doesn't matter," he told her, "it's over."

"Just like that?" Haley was skeptical, Nathan wasn't one to give up on anything so easily, especially not something so important to him.

"I've done everything I could Hales," he shook his head slowly. "I have to accept that sometimes...people don't get their happy endings."

"I don't believe that Nathan," Haley argued, "there's still time and a donor could still be found. We need to do another fundraiser and a bone marrow drive, maybe in another city like Karen suggested and..."

"Haley," Nathan grabbed her hand with his good one, stopping her ramble, "I really don't want to talk about this right now, okay? Can you just let it go?"

"But..." Haley wanted to keep going, but she could see the exhaustion on his face and gave in. Pushing him at the moment wouldn't do anything but make things worse. "Okay...okay, for now," she took a deep, calming breath and forced herself to retreat for the moment. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Could you play for me?" he asked, gesturing toward her guitar in the corner. "It always soothes me and could really use that right now."

Haley bit her lip nervously, but nodded, "anything in particular you want to hear?"

He shook his head no, "anything you want to play. I just need to think about something else for a while."

She picked up her guitar and sat on the edge of the chair, looking across at her husband before beginning to play. "I wrote this a couple of weeks ago, I think you'll like it."

* * *

It had been a long time since Haley had really felt the special magic of Christmas, not since she was a young child and all her siblings were still at home, but she couldn't deny its pull as she sat on the couch with her husband and his mother. The old lights and ornaments they'd dug up had been hung on the tree and were twinkling in their eyes as they finished the remains of the pie Deb had taken the time to make for her only son.

"I told you not to go out of your way," Nathan admonished lightly, his complaint not carrying any weight since he was on his third piece, a bite on its way to his mouth. "You didn't need to do anything special for us, we came for you."

"And I am so glad to see you," she reached out and placed her hand on his, "but I enjoy doing things for you. You wouldn't want to take that away from me, would you?"

Nathan looked over at Haley, knowing he was now caught and unsure how to respond, "Just say thank you," his wife whispered, turning to smile at his mother before adding her own words. "We appreciate the effort you went to, everything has been wonderful."

"Yeah," Nathan chimed in then, realizing it was a time for trying to push away worries and act like a regular family, something they so rarely got to do, "Thanks mom. It was all delicious."

Haley stood then and gave her husband a quick kiss, "I'm going to go take care of the kitchen while you two catch up."

Nathan stood too, manners having been ingrained in him since he was small, "I can help..."

His wife shook her head, gesturing him back toward the couch, "You should enjoy spending this time with her ..."

Nathan heard the final words of that statement despite them not being said _, "while you can,"_ they screamed in his ear, the relaxation spoiled by the grim reminder of their situation. It was entirely possible this would be their last Christmas together and suddenly the pie felt like lead in his stomach. He pushed past it, determined not to let the morbid thoughts ruin the time they did have. "I remember when I was little and we went to Q's house for Christmas dinner. Mr. Fields would always read the Christmas story from the Bible and we'd sing carols," he paused then, "a lot of traditions died when he did."

Deb nodded, "it felt wrong somehow to do the same things without him and we decided not to try."

Nathan nodded, not wanting to dredge up any more old memories. He had enough to deal with in the present. He moved to the couch and sat back down, his eyes catching sight of the framed wedding picture in place of pride on the wall in front of them. There had been a number of shots that he'd really liked when they sat down to look at them, but there had been two that had been his definite favorites. The one in front of him, with his most beloved women against his sides and a candid one of he and Haley laughing at Lucas with their foreheads pressed together. It made him realize that it was funny how time worked. That day felt like so much longer than just a couple of months earlier, and yet like it happened just the day before. In the same vein, it seemed like it would be forever until May and the end of high school, yet not knowing how long his mother had left made it feel like every minute was flying by.

"Next weekend, Patrick and I are planning on coming to the New Year's tournament," his mother broke through his thoughts. "I've only gotten to see one game this year and this is a good chance to see several at one time."

"Are you sure you should be travelling? Did you okay it with your doctors?" Nathan's face immediately pressed into an expression of concern. "I don't want..."

"Who is the parent here?" his mother shook her head as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm perfectly fine to come sit and watch you play. It's not like I'm going to join you on the court."

"Of course not, I just worry about you..."

"I know you do," She cut him off with her hand, "but you need to listen to me. I don't know what's going to happen. I can't predict the future, but I know that I want to enjoy whatever time I have and that includes watching my son play the game that he loves. If I can't take pleasure in even the simplest of things, what's the point of fighting to stay alive?"

 _"Because I need you!"_ Nathan bit back the response he wanted to give her, realizing how selfish it sounded, even to his own ears. He wanted to rage against the world that he found himself in these circumstances and he couldn't help but think of a myriad of "if onlys."

He fought to control the urge to just crawl into her lap and cry as he'd done as a child, "I'm so sorry I'm not able to help. I was so sure I would be able to and I feel like I've failed you in the worst way possible. I can't stand it."

She attempted to soothe him but he stood up and continued, "I can't lose you. I feel so helpless and also guilty that I'm so far away. What if you need me? I should be here, " he felt tears start to roll down his cheeks and furiously wiped them away in frustration.

"Oh Nate," she sighed, gently pulling so he sat back down next to her. "You have nothing to feel guilty about."

He rested his head on her shoulder and let her run her fingers through his dark hair as she had when he was small. "You had no control over the outcome of that test, just as I have no control at the moment as to mine. Sometimes life just doesn't work out the way we want and it's our job to do the best we can with what hand we're dealt. For me, that means being grateful for what I have in you and Patrick and the new daughter you've given me. You've done everything in your power to help me and then some. If I don't have much time left, I want you to be content, as I am, that I've lived a full life and I am so proud of you. No matter what happens, remember that and how much I love you."

* * *

The apartment smelled of pancakes and bacon the next morning when Deb came out to get her coffee, her stomach growling at the delicious smells, "Merry Christmas," Haley said, gesturing at the meal and the brew already prepared. "I made breakfast."

"You didn't have to do that," Deb smiled as she accepted the plate and cup she was offered.

"I thought maybe I could help the day start a little more happily than the last one ended," Haley filled another plate and sat down at the table next to the older woman. "Are you doing okay?"

Deb nodded and looked toward the second bedroom, "I'm more worried about my son. How is he? I figure once the floodgates opened, they probably didn't stop for a while."

Haley sighed and Deb noticed the circles under her eyes, "it was a long night," she admitted, "but I'm glad he's finally getting it out. As hard as it is to see, at least he's dealing with it now instead of pretending everything is fine and pushing it away. He's been like a zombie the last couple of weeks."

"He's never been good with his emotions," Deb agreed. "He tends to bury things and hope they go away, but he'll be okay. He's so much stronger than he's ever given himself credit for."

"But everyone has a breaking point," Haley frowned, moving her food around on her plate as the conversation stole her appetite. "I'm afraid he has to be close to his. Almost anyone would be."

Deb paused and looked over at the young woman across from her, "I know it's a lot for you too Haley. You're both so young to be dealing with all of this, but I'm counting on you to do what needs to be done to make sure he gets through all of this. I hate that I'm asking this of you, but I need you to make the tough decisions ahead that he might not be able to."

Haley nodded in acceptance of the request, tears welling in her eyes at the brave woman in front of her. The one that she was coming to love herself and knew she would miss for herself almost as much as her husband.

"I love him," she told Deb earnestly, "and I will always do whatever it takes to make sure he is happy."

"He will probably try to push you away, especially if things get worse," Deb pushed on, making sure the girl knew what she was getting herself into. "He won't make it easy on you."

"He doesn't have anything on me in the stubbornness department," Haley assured her. "I promise, he's in good hands."

* * *

Haley looked over at her husband as he sat across the counter from her. They'd spent 3 days with his mother for Christmas and with the exception of a few depressing hours and a lot of tears, the rest of the time had been filled with fun and a lot of laughter. It was hard to believe it though by looking at Nathan as he sat there, his mouth turned down and his expression tense. She'd had a feeling that a lot of his good humor the previous days had been forced, but she hadn't realized just how upset he still was until they were alone and there was no need for pretense.

Since they'd left, he'd been little more than a shell of himself, barely eating or talking, just going through the motions with the least effort possible. He hadn't even touched her and for something she hadn't really understood until recently, she was amazed how much she missed it. She hoped he'd look up and give her one of his smirks or at least acknowledge her existence, but he did nothing and she went back to her schoolwork.

"I'm thinking of transferring," he finally said, the voice cutting through the quiet and drawing her attention back from her studying. "I need to be closer to her in case...you know..."

Haley paused in disbelief at the surprising statement, "You mean for college?"

He shook his head and she realized he meant now. Her heart plummeted. She thought about what she'd promised his mother and realized if this was making her react this way, there was no way she would be strong enough to fight back against him if he was determined to push her away.

"What about basketball?" she managed to wet her lips enough to squeak out when what she wanted to do was scream _What about me? What about us?_

"What about it?" he shook his head, "it's not as important as her life."

"Okay," she didn't know what to say, to ask and just looked out the window, trying to fight the tears she felt welling. She fought herself for composure, "If that's what you need..."

"So you're okay with it?" he asked, the faint hints of a smile forming on his face as his gaze moved over to meet hers, searching for something in her eyes. "Even if it messes up you being valedictorian?"

Haley's brows drew together in confusion, "Why would it make a difference where you live?"

"Because you wouldn't be able to finish the year," Nathan looked as confused as she felt and the slight upturn of his mouth that he'd managed a moment ago faltered.

"You'd come with me, right? You understand why?" he seemed afraid to voice the questions, "I can't be away from you either, but I really need to do this. I'll never be able to live with myself if I waste anymore of the time she has left."

Haley was floored. She'd been so sure after the way he'd been acting that he was abandoning her and now she didn't know how to wrap her mind over the opposite. Could she do it? Could she bring herself to up and leave everything she knew with only a few months left in her high school career? Could she handle anymore upheaval and uncertainty?

"I understand, I do, but I just don't know if I can..."

* * *

"Oh wow," Brooke said, answering the door to a soaking wet Haley who looked as though someone had just run over her puppy...and then backed up to do it again. "Get in here."

The blonde moved methodically into the entrance way, leaving a giant puddle on the tile floor, "I'm sorry I didn't call or anything I just..." her voice trailed off and she hiccuped slightly, "I need someone to talk to."

Brooke nodded and heedless of the water that seeped into her own clothes, put her arm around her friend, "Let's get you dry and then I'll grab the ice cream and you can tell me all about it. We'll get whatever it is figured out. I promise."

* * *

On the other side of town, Nathan knocked on the kitchen door of the Scott house, glancing past his brother as he answered it, "Is Haley here?"

"No, I haven't seen her, why?" Luke was confused, "I thought she was with you."

Nathan sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair and thought about how wet his wife must be, wandering around in the storm with no vehicle. "We had a fight," he started before backtracking, "well, I guess I did. I kind of ambushed her with something and then got angry when she didn't give me the response I wanted. I'm such an ass."

"I've been saying that for months," the blonde gave a weak smile before going into the hallway bathroom to retrieve a towel, "but you've had a lot going on. What exactly happened?"

"Well..."

* * *

"What was I supposed to do? He just blurted it out of nowhere and I didn't know how to react. I hadn't even had time to digest the idea and then he completely blew up because I didn't know if I could make another life changing decision right that minute," Haley took a huge scoop of ice cream and stuffed it in her mouth, letting the chocolate melt on her tongue. "I like to think things through, especially life altering things."

"Like marriage?" Brooke raised her eyebrow and laughed when her friend scowled in response. "Well, it probably felt like a no to him," she took her own bite of the soothing yumminess, "and I'm not justifying him yelling at you, I'm just trying to see his side like you always ask me to."

"I know," Haley deflated from her anger, "and I'm grateful...I am. I just don't know how to deal with all of this. I promised his mom I could handle it, but now I'm not sure. Nothing I do seems to be helping and I'm not sure I can go away from all of you when I feel so unsure of our relationship. He's been a completely different person lately."

* * *

"I can't blame her, really," Nathan sat at the kitchen counter. "I've treated her like crap lately and then I just dumped this on her. I really suck."

"You've had a lot to deal with," Lucas handed him a beer, "I think we all understand."

Nathan looked down at the bottle in his hand and decided if ever he'd deserved one, this was the moment, "I know, and you've all been so supportive, especially Haley, and yet I just keep taking my anger out on all of you. I wouldn't blame her if she just told me to go to Hell."

"She won't," Lucas told him, "she just needs time. You know her, she likes to think things through from every angle."

"I know," Nathan took a swig of his drink, "time just isn't something I have a lot of right now."

* * *

"He's not here," the girl said, coming to stand next to Rachel as the waiter escorted them , along with their parents and a few other people, to their seats in the hotel restaurant.

"Who?" Rachel asked absentmindedly, not having paid any attention to the others in their group. She'd been too busy trying to see around obstacles to figure out if either of his sons were with the older Scott man across the room.

"Whichever one you're looking for, Nathan or Lucas, they aren't here," she answered. "It's just him and his wife."

"Oh," Rachel deflated, "I'd been hoping...never mind."

"I know," the girl patted her arm sympathetically, "and I understand, but just so you know, Nathan is off limits."

The cheerleader rolled her eyes, "I know he's married and I don't give a crap. It's not like it'll last anyway. Who gets married in high school?"

"What if I told you it was going to be over sooner than you expect?"

"Really?" Rachel perked up, "Did he get sick of better that goody two shoes routine already? I can't stand that girl."

"Unfortunately, no," the girl smiled anyway, "but it doesn't make much of a difference. Very soon, whether he likes it or not, she's going to be a thing of the past and he's going to be all mine."

The redhead shook her head, "I don't understand, as much as I hate her, he seems pretty enamored," she was confused, "How would you convince him to give her up?"

The brunette smiled, "Leverage is a wonderful thing dear, you should know that by now."

"Of course, I do, I just don't know what you could have that would make a difference. Both of them are annoyingly squeaky clean."

"Oh darling, you have a lot to learn. Why would I need blackmail when I have in my power the only way to save his precious mother?"


	47. Chapter 47

"Thanks," Haley said, her head leaning against the window of her friend's car. "I needed to just relax and not think for a while. That was fun, even if the movie wasn't nearly as good as the first one..."

"Still had Captain Jack. I just love that man," Brooke grinned from across the vehicle, "Johnny Depp is definitely on my elevator list." She noted her friend's raised eyebrow, "What? Julian's okay with it, even he admits the man is yummy."

Haley shook her head at that admission. At some point, she'd stop being surprised by the things her friend said, but that time hadn't yet come. "You're crazy."

Her friend just shrugged, "probably." She looked back at the road and turned on her windshield wipers as rain started to fall again. "So have you decided what you're going to do?"

"I told you I don't want to talk about it," Haley turned back to the window, despite the weather making it hard to see much. "That was the whole point of getting away, remember?"

Brooke sighed, wondering how she had ended up in the middle of the soap opera that her friend's life had become. She was supposed to be the one getting advice, not giving it. Still, she owed it to Haley to at least give it a try, "I know you were pissed that Nathan didn't give you time to make a decision before he freaked out on you, but you also haven't said what that choice is going to be. Now that you're calmer, I thought maybe it would be good for you to talk about it, discuss the pros and cons."

"Who are you and what have you done with my 'lists are dumb' best friend?" Haley's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Maybe you're a doppelganger pretending to be Brooke while the real one runs off chasing sexy pirates."

"Look, I know I always complain about your lists, but they do seem to help and you need to be rational right now," Brooke reasoned, rolling her eyes at the sarcasm."You can't let your emotions override your common sense and making a list will help you make the best possible decision."

"Is that really what I sound like?" Haley asked incredulously, a disgusted frown making its way to her face, "no wonder you always look like you're going to slap me."

"It needs to be said," Brooke shrugged. "This is your entire life on the line. Are you going to put it all at risk for a guy?"

"First off, he's not just A guy, he's THE guy. He's my husband. I made vows," Haley pointed out, " How can I say I love him and then abandon him when he needs me the most?"

"What about what you need?" Brooke slowed for a stop sign. Pausing before she crossed the intersection she looked over at her friend. "You've worked your entire life to be valedictorian...to get accepted to Duke and have enough scholarships to afford it."

"And he's done the same with basketball. He's willing to take a chance on losing that because this is really important..."

"to him. It's his mother...his choice," Brooke played the devil's advocate. "It doesn't mean you have to do the same."

"I'm his wife."

"And I'm not telling you to divorce him. I'm asking if it's worth throwing away everything you've worked for just to be with him for a few months," Brooke hated seeing the hurt on her best friend's face at her words, but she pressed on because it was something that needed to be said. "You could stay married and live separately for a now, visit on weekends or something."

"I don't want to be apart from him that much," Haley hesitated. "I don't know if I could do the long distance thing."

"Then you have a bigger problem that you're admitting to because last I heard, you are planning on going to colleges that are like 10 hours apart" Brook reminded her. For all her usual neurotic tendencies, Haley had been living on emotion the previous months and it was starting to catch up to her. Brooke didn't want there to be an atom bomb level detonation when that happened. "I know love is blind and all that, but you can't just pretend that's not coming."

"7 hrs and 20 minutes," Haley corrected, her face flaming slightly, "and I'm not pretending anything... I know what we're facing."

"So you know this isn't just about now, it's about your whole future..."

"Of course I do. You're talking to the girl who writes an itinerary for her spring break months in advance. Don't you think I've thought about this? Sometimes it's all I do think about, but that doesn't mean I have all the answers. I just don't know why this has to be so hard, why I feel like one of us has to give up our dreams for us to be together," she went back to staring out the window, fighting to steady her breath. She thought she'd used up all her tears, but they were fighting back to the forefront yet again. "It's not fair."

"It sucks, I know. Look, I don't want to pressure you, but it's coming whether you like it or not," Brooke said, feeling her friend's pain. "In fact, I honestly think you're mad at the situation a lot more than you are Nathan..."

"STOP," Haley shouted, causing her friend to jump in her seat and almost run off the road.

"Look, I know you don't want..."

"NO, stop the car," Haley turned in her seat, trying to look back, but unable to see much as the rain had really started to fall, "I think there was someone laying on the side of the road back there. We need to go back and check."

"That sounds like the way urban legends start. A dark stormy night, girls alone on a deserted stretch of road..." Brooke argued. "We should just call the cops."

"We don't have to get out, just go back and see if I'm right. I don't want to call anyone for a doll or something."

Brooke sighed but turned around and headed back, glad to have a little car "I hope you're wrong. I really don't want to find a dead body. Where'd you see it?"

They drove a little further before Haley shouted, "Right there, see the blue? It looks like a woman." the blonde was already climbing out as the car stopped, "Oh crap, it looks bad."

"Wait," Brooke tried to stop her, then climbed out after her when she was unsuccessful. "We should really call 911."

"You go ahead. I know first aid, I might be able to help, " Haley knelt down, careful to not slip in the mud from the water draining off the road. She grabbed a ponytail off her wrist and used it to pull her hair back and out of her face before reaching for the crumpled woman, scared to check and find out if it was indeed a body.

Brooke ducked back into the car to keep her phone dry before pulling it out and dialing the number, her hands shaking from both the cold and nerves. It wasn't everyday you found a person...body...woman lying by the road. She waited for the operator to pick up, watching as Haley moved the woman's hair to search for a pulse, her head jerking up as she saw something unexpected, "Oh my...Brooke...it's Rachel."

"What?" the brunette screeched, her voice practically deafening the operator answering on the other end of the line as she answered, "like 'I hate her Rachel'? Rachel Gatina?"

Haley nodded, "She's alive, but it doesn't look good. I don't know what happened to her, but it's bad Brooke. Really bad."

* * *

Nathan sat down on the bleachers, leaning his elbows on his knees as he wiped the sweat off his face with his shirt. After his talk with Lucas he'd headed home only to find Haley still hadn't returned and had instead left a message saying not to wait up. Instead of pacing the floors of their apartment, he'd gone back out to the Rivercourt, hoping instead to focus his pent up energy to work on his game and forget how he'd screwed up earlier. It hadn't worked. He'd been shooting like crap and hadn't for a second been able to take his mind off what a mess he'd made of things.

Sighing, he stood and picked up the ball next to him, deciding to try one more time to make some kind of progress with this game before heading home to hopefully find his wife and grovel. He'd taken three steps onto the court when his phone rang, causing him to quickly spin back and grab it. He hoped it was Haley and she was ready to talk, but was quickly disappointed when he saw the number on the ID was his brother.

He answered, unable to keep the discouragement from his voice, "Nathan," Lucas quickly overlapped his words, "I'm glad I got you. I just talked to Brooke and she and Haley had some problems on their way home from Wilmington. They're at the ER..."

The taller Scott didn't even let his brother finish before he closed his phone and took off for his car at a run. His heart feeling like it was beating out of his chest the whole way. If she was hurt because he'd been a jerk, he'd never forgive himself.

* * *

Nathan ran into the hospital in a panic, the entire trip spent imagining the news he might receive once he got there. He skidded to a stop though when he found Haley standing in the waiting room hugging his brother.

He crossed the tile floor and reached for his wife before pulling her against his chest in relief. "Oh God, I thought something happened to you. I'm so sorry. Are you okay? What happened?"

Haley led the guys over to a group of chairs and explained what had transpired.

"The doctors say it's not life threatening, but she's pretty messed up. The worst part is, they're pretty sure it wasn't an accident," Haley linked her fingers with her husband's as her eyes started to tear up for what seemed like the millionth time that day. She scooted closer to him on the little couch, their spat put aside for the moment. She needed the comfort of his strength and love too much. "I had to help. I may not like her, but no one deserves this."

"It was good of you to do this for her," Lucas told them, "but I can't say I'm surprised. Is there someone you need to talk to or something so you can get out of here?"

"We already talked to the police," Haley explained, "but there wasn't much we could tell them. She hasn't said anything and we don't know anything but except where we found her."

"She's not talking?" Nathan's voice rose a bit in surprise. He would've thought she'd be chomping at the bit to rat out the culprit.

Haley shook her head, her face is pretty messed up and they had to sedate her. Brooke is in there with her. The hospital called her parents,", looking around the waiting room hopefully. "I don't think they've shown up yet, but we don't want to leave until they do. Someone should be here when she wakes up. She's got to be scared."

"Are you sure you want to do this? She's done enough to you for you to just say to hell with her," Nathan reminded her. "Most people wouldn't have done this much."

"Someone did this to her Nathan. They hurt her and then threw her out on the side of the road like garbage. I know you probably think I'm crazy, but if we abandon her now, it feels like we're just as bad."

Nathan wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do," he kissed her on the top of the head.

"You don't have to..." Haley put up a token resistance. Truth was, she was shaken up enough to consider begging him to stay, but after their argument earlier she knew she wouldn't.

"Yes I do," he answered, much to her relief. "I drove here thinking that something happened to you and even though it didn't, it did happen to someone who very well could've been. Just the thought of it terrifies me. I'm not letting you out of my sight if I can help it."

"Thanks," Haley nodded and leaned her head against his chest for a moment, "you know this doesn't fix everything, right?"

He nodded, "I know," he looked around the room at the other worried families, "but it does put it in perspective, doesn't it?"

Haley agreed, "we have a lot of decisions to make, don't we?"

"I guess we do," he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "but we'll do it together, okay? Promise me that?"

"It won't be easy," she knew that was an understatement and so did he.

"But it's worth it, right?" he tilted her head to look up at him. "We're worth it?"

She nodded and tucked her head back into his shoulder. "We are. Always and forever."

* * *

Nathan opened the door to his hotel room and made his way inside to the bed. He'd torn open one of the cuts in his hand in the last game and while he'd been able to finish the contest, it was sore and starting to get stiff. He leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes, willing the throbbing to subside as he waited for his wife to bring the ice and ibuprofen she'd gone to retrieve. They still had two more games the next day and if he didn't take care of it properly, he might be on the sidelines for both.

He listened to the ticking of the clock and his mind wandered to the last couple of days. They'd spent a lot of their time at the hospital since Rachel's family apparently wasn't interested in doing their part. Haley refused to leave the girl alone for long and he wasn't sure if it was more for the sake of the redhead or for the purpose of avoiding their much needed discussion. Either way, he felt like he was put on hold and hoping that this evening away would give him a chance to get his wife to open up to him.

"I'm glad you're here," he said as the door opened, "it's starting to hurt pretty bad."

He felt the bed next to him sink, and a hand touched his chest, "I can make you feel better."

His eyes flew open, "How did...? What are you doing here?" he scooted across the bed, "Where's Haley?"

"I'm sure she'll be along soon," the girl next to him rolled her eyes. "Although she might be searching for her missing keycard..." she added with a naughty smirk.

"You have no business being here," Nathan crossed his arms and then regretted it as soon as his hand injury flared. He fought back the pain and narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

"I thought that was obvious," she gave him a sultry look as she took a few steps around the end of the bed toward him, "I want you."

"No you don't," Nathan shook his head in refusal. He didn't buy that she wanted him enough to go to this kind of trouble, "Let's be honest, that ship has sailed and you know it."

"Fine," she shrugged her shoulders, not at all upset by his statement. "If I'd known who you really are, where you came from, I'd never have made the mistake of letting you get away. Besides, who knew that hitting the weights and using some acne cream would make you such a stud? I want your money, your family connections, and your body. That honest enough for you?"

"That's honest, yeah," he agreed, putting a little more distance between them, "even crazier hell yeah. Have you forgotten I'm already married? And even if I wasn't, why on earth would I help you?"

The woman waved off his questions, "that's just a little roadblock," she rolled her eyes, "we can get rid of her no problem."

Nathan's eyes widened, she really was crazy if she was talking about getting rid of his wife. He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "There are all kinds of grounds for annulment if you just petition. It'll be like the whole crazy thing never happened. Besides, you don't have to do much of anything really. I'm the one who is going to help you."

"and how are you going to do that?" he was now angry enough to say screw trying to stay calm and reason with her. "Besides 'getting rid' of my wife who I happen to love very much?" He put his hands on his hips, glad he hadn't taken the time to undress. "I can't imagine anything you could give me or do for me that I would be interested in, especially enough to do that."

"Oh Natey," she smiled, "always so short sighted. Make no doubt about it, you are going to do it, and I won't even have to force you. In fact, you'll most likely even thank me for it."

"This is ridiculous," he shook his head, "get out of my room."

"Don't you even want to hear what I have to say? Aren't you at least a little curious?"

"No," he took a step toward her, "nothing worthwhile ever comes from your mouth."

"Ahh," she held up her finger to her lips, "you didn't used to feel that way."

"Get out," his voice rose as his patience ran out. "I don't want anything to do with you."

"That's too bad," she stuck her lower lip out in a pout, "because you don't really have much of a choice if you want to save your mother." She turned and headed out of the room, making sure to walk slowly enough that her words sank in.

"Wait," he practically growled as she reached for the door handle, "what do you mean by that?'

"I mean," she turned around and gave him a victorious smile, "that I'm a match."

"A match?" his voice cracked, "For what?" his eyes widened in hope and then horror as he realized what she must mean. "...for my mom? I don't believe it. You're lying."

"That's fine, don't believe me. I don't really care what happens to her," she shrugged, "I just thought you should make a well informed decision. I have the ability to save your mom...for a price."

"And that price is?" Nathan forced the words out, knowing what her response would be and yet needing to hear her say it.

"You divorce that hag and marry me."


End file.
